A morning Psalm...Psalm 31:1-24 NAS For the choir director. A Psalm of David.1 In Thee, O LORD, I have taken refuge; Let me never be ashamed; In Thy righteousness deliver me.2 Incline Thine ear to me, rescue me quickly; Be Thou to me a rock of strength, A stronghold to save me.3 For Thou art my rock and my fortress; For Thy name's sake Thou wilt lead me and guide me. 4 Thou wilt pull me out of the...
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
There is help out there...
Any Takers? ...
Monday, January 29, 2007
The humanity of Jesus Christ diminished?
Something I have observed in recent years of being in churches, classes, conversations, conferences and other venues is that the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ is emphasized, and RIGHTLY SO. However, I wonder if while we are emphasizing this right (and absolutely necessary) doctrine of the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, that we have neglected the important and just as necessary doctrine of the humanity...
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Date Night Baby! :=)
Last night my most beautiful fiance and I went to our favorite restaurant for a dress-up "date night." We had a blast.Then we drove in the rain to the Cheesecake factory. We had a great time eating a fabulous pasta dish and then we got our favorite cheesecake, white chocolate peanut butter truffle....
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Don't Dwell On Your Past
We're all sinful. We all have a wicked past before we came to Christ. Everyone who has ever lived is a wretched sinner deserving the wrath of an angry God for all of eternity. Yet there are some whom God has graciously chosen to call to Himself. Yet the lives that we lived before we came to that saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ was one filled with sin, anger, rebellion, hatred to God and...
Friday, January 26, 2007
Humility...Where Has It Gone?
We return, once again, to the wonderful advice from our beloved mentor and hero of the past, Jonathan Edwards. He gave advice to new converts. Another piece of advice from him to these new believers in Jesus Christ is:"Come to the things of religion in great humility"Edwards is profound in this statement, yet very basic. Let me take just one passage of Scripture, break it down and show you what I...
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
The Most Fabulous Fiance In The Whole World
and I've got her :=)Elizabeth, I am wild about you. I am so excited to marry you and spend our lives together serving the Lord, honoring him, doing ministry together and growing together in Christlikeness. I love you babe! May 12 is just too far away. You are the best complement for me. The Lord is...
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
The Plea for Expository Preaching
THE MANDATE OF EXPOSITORY PREACHINGThe Gospels, Acts, the Epistles, and Revelation provide many examples and exhortations to preach the truth in fulfillment of God’s will. As a reminder of the apostolic legacy and reaffirmation of the scriptural authority for Bible-based preaching, five significant mandates are representative of the larger number of passages.Matt. 28:19-20--”Go therefore and make...
Monday, January 22, 2007
What Do You Do With Your Leisure Time?
Again, in Ryken's book, Worldly Saints, he says this profound statement:"One of the best tests of whether a person is generously educated is what he or she does with leisure time" (p.170).I read this and had to set the book down and ponder. What do I do with my spare time? Do I really have spare time? Though it may see oftentimes that I don't have spare time because I am so busy, I really do have...
The Puritan View of Reading the Bible
I was reading in an excellent book yesterday by Leland Ryken, Worldly Saints. He made this quote regarding the Puritans and their view of Education, "The way to foil Satan, according to the Puritans, was to educate people to read and study their Bible." I think it would benefit us greatly to take...
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Inerrancy is Imperative
Today in my historical theology class, we learned about Quenstedt. He was a man who held firmly to the doctrine of inerrancy. Here's a brief sketch of this man and his belief:J. A. Quenstedt (1617 – May 22,1688) (See Bromiley, Historical Theology, 318 ff.)o Wrote Theologia Didactico-Polemica sive Systema Theologiciumo Along with other Lutheran scholastics, he systematized the doctrine...
Don't Make This Mistake
oops...1. Don't let worry kill you - let the church help.2. Thursday night - Potluck supper. Prayer and medication to follow.3. For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.4. A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow.5. The pastor will preach his farewell message, after which the choir will sing, "Break Forth Into Joy."6....
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Keep Fighting Against Sin
Edwards's next piece of advice to new converts is:"Struggle over the remainders of sin in your life"Edwards here is saying to these new believers in Jesus Christ that they will struggle with sin for the rest of their lives, but to keep fighting. Sin is an ever present sin that will never fully be conquered in our mortal bodies.The Apostle Paul notes his own struggle in his Christian walk:Romans 7:14-21...
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Orthodox Jewish Family Caught in Traffic As Shabbat Approaches
Read this article from the Jerusalem Post about an Orthodox Jewish man and his son who were caught in traffic and had to pull over their car because they could not drive on the Sabbath - according to Jewish law.But then keep reading until a "born-again Christian" couple picked them up and took them homoe. Read about the impact this couple brought to this Jewish family.May we have more born-again believers...
Evangelism Linebacker
I don't know if you've seen this, but it is actually pretty funny. It is called "The Evangelism Linebacker". It's only 3 1/2 minutes long. Click HERE to watch it.There is a sequal that came out. It is called "The Christmas Linebacker." Not too shabby.Click HERE to watch this one....
Pine Over Your Sin
As we have engaged in this series of Jonathan Edwards's advice to new converts, the next piece of advice that Edwards gives is thus:"Pine over you sin" What does this mean? Let's break it down and hopefully get a grasp as to how we can change and grow in our Christian walks.The word "pine" (as a verb) means to yearn deeply; suffer with longing; long painfully. It also means to suffer grief or regret...
Monday, January 15, 2007
Saved from Hell
For some, this title "Saved from Hell" may be a bit much, but did you know that in the life of Christ, he spoke more on hell than He did on heaven. This is Jonathan Edwards' advice to new converts. He says:"Do not forget the pit out of which you were drawn"What does Edwards mean? He is simply saying that believers must recall the glory of salvation. Not only the beautiful reality that we will be with...
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Apply What You Hear On Sunday Mornings
So, we often hear the line, "It is the preacher who is to exposit, give theology, teach and apply the text to my life." Though this is true (and every aspect just given is so), it is not fully true.Sure it is the preacher's responsibility to apply the text so as to drive the point home in the lives of his hearers. Furthermore, we are taught in homiletics (preaching) class not to leave our study...
Friday, January 12, 2007
Attend to Prayer
Yesterday we began a series in which we will observe Jonathan Edwards' advice to new converts.We saw yesterday his first piece of advice was: to be diligent in the things of religion.Today we'll see his second piece of advice to new converts: Attend to Prayer.Think of this, if there is advice that Edwards could think of to encourage new believers in the Messiah as well as to help equip them to grow...
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Jonathan Edwards in his Advice to New Converts
I hope over the next few posts to lay before you these insights one by one with biblical references to encourage and challenge your own heart, as they have mine. Edwards offers these insights on the spiritual life. Specifically, he gives this advice to new converts, but I think they are applicable to all and worthy of reflection in all of our hearts:The first piece of advice is:Be diligent in the...
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Glorifying God
Today in my class at seminary, Dr. Hannah said, what does it mean to glorify God? His answer:To glorify God means that God sees something of himself in his fallen creature. Furthermore,True spirituality is not about lineal productivity, it is all about reflecting the Glory of God.That means, manifesting the character of God that he has put in you by His spirit.So, once again, I ask you, are you living...
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
How Much Is Required To Be Saved?
I recognize I am opening a theological issue that brilliant scholars, theologians, pastors and lay persons have grappled with over many centuries, but it is my goal over the next few posts to just tap the ice as to what biblically is required for a person to be saved.Really, the question is a wrong one. Anything that is required, or could ever be required, has been fulfilled by the Lord Jesus Christ...
Monday, January 8, 2007
An Example to Students?
In recent CNN coverage, an Ivy league professor is now charged and convicted of the murder of his wife. CNN says: A University of Pennsylvania professor was charged Monday with beating his wife to death in their suburban kitchen after she told friends she planned to divorce him.And furthermore, Robb was charged with first- and third-degree murder, possession of an instrument of crime, tampering with...
The Imminent Return Our Lord
Have you thought about the return of our Lord and Savior today?I was in class and I was convicted in the opening prayer. We hadn't even gotten in to the lecture material yet for the course, and I was already convicted. In his prayer, Dr. Mayhue prayed at least twice about the quick and imminent coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Are you living NOW in light of eternity? I am reminded of Jonathan...
The Glory of God Made Practical
Click here to hear an excellent sermon by one of the most brilliant scholars I know, Doug Bookman. Once you are here, do 2 things: Under Search For: Type in TMC ChapelUnder the second Search For: Type in BookmanThen scroll down till you see his sermon on "The Glory of God." It is a worthwhile listen. He not only defines the Glory of God biblically, but also gives practical application as to how to...
Friday, January 5, 2007
2007 Verse
Yesterday I posted my verse for last year and today I want to take the opportunity to post my verse for the upcoming 2007 year. Ezra 7:10 10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to practice it, and to teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel. There is probably no greater example of a great preacher in the Old Testament than the man Ezra. The text here gives three requirements...
Thursday, January 4, 2007
2006 Verse
Psalm 19:14 14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. Over the course of this past year I remembered this verse that I had chosen to be my "verse for the year." It was a reminder to me not only to watch what comes out of my mouth, but also my heart's affections as well, that they may be fixed on the Lord Jesus Christ....
Wednesday, January 3, 2007
Jesus, Head Over All Things
Ephesians 1:22-23 22 And He [God, the Father] put all things in subjection under His [God, the Son's] feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. This text is amazing. Notice what the text does NOT say: "He made Him head of the church which is over all things."Now notice again what the text DOES say: God made Jesus Christ...
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Walking With God
Genesis 5:22 22 Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. Genesis 5:24 24 And Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him. Genesis 6:9 9 These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God. We see from these Old Testament texts that...
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