vassal of the King

An excellent quote from Don Carson: “There is nothing that our generation needs more than to hear the Word of God - and this at a time of biblical illiteracy rising at an astonishing rate. Moreover, it needs to hear Christian leaders personally submitting to Scripture, personally reading and teaching Scripture - not in veiled ways that merely assume some sort of heritage of Christian teaching while actually focusing on just about anything else, but in ways that are reverent, exemplary, comprehensive, insistent, persistent. Nothing else, nothing at all, is more urgent.”

I do believe that we all need wisdom. Moreover, I believe that we need a daily reminder as to where we find this wisdom because in our world, as godless as it may be, we need to remember that wisdom is not found in culture or in this world system, but found in the fear of God . Listen to how Job puts it in this inclusio (sandwichlike structure): Job 28:12 "But where can wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? And then he spends fifteen verses showing where wisdom is not found. He concludes by saying: Job 28:28 "And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; And to depart from evil is understanding.'" How important it is for us to remember this essential question: Where can real wisdom be found? Job answers that by saying that wisdom is not found in man (v.13); in nature (v.14); in wealth (v.15-19), but only with God (vv.20-27). I was considering the magnitude of this verse when I read it this morning. What would I do

I read in Jay Adams' work, Critical Stages of Biblical Counseling , and he gave four very insightful helps in ministering the Word of God to people effectively. I'd like to post it here for your perusal. 1) Carefully select the Word How often this is neglected when we minister and counsel people. Oftentimes, we have the same few verses that we go to for many situations. Let us never forget that Scripture is sufficient for "all of life and godliness" (2 Pet 1:3-4). Furthermore, this may result from a lack of knowledge of the Word of God on our part. May it be that we as preachers and biblical counselors would delve deep and headlong into the marvelous riches of God's holy and sufficient Word - so that we truly may be competent to counsel. 2) Accurately Interpret the Word Oh how this is lacking today. We need men in the pulpits to preach and teach God's truth from God's Word in a way that is clear and accurately interpreted implementing the historical-gramma

Yesterday I was driving to class and I heard on the radio that 1.2 million women in America get an abortion. As I was driving, I thought about this and realized that 1.2 million just seems like a large, but distant figure. So I pulled out my cell phone and divided 1.2 million by 365 and I was staggered by the outcome. I realized that in America alone there are 3,288 babies that are aborted each day . This was shocking to me and very disturbing. I wrote the number on my hand so that I would see it throughout the day and remember this sobering reality. O how it must break our Father's heart to see so many women here in America get an abortion because they think that they can dictate when they want a baby. Abortion is none other than the slaughtering of life. Furthermore, it is killing unborn babies with a real heart, with real feet, with a real nose and with a real soul . How devastating this is. I believe that this will only escalate in coming months and years (unfortunately) a

One of my favorite prayers of all time. It's a puritan's prayer: Thou Incomprehensible but prayer-hearing God, Known, but beyond knowledge , revealed, but unrevealed , My wants and welfare draw me to thee, for thou hast never said," seek ye me in vain." To thee I come in my difficulties, necessities, distresses; possess me with thyself, with a spirit of grace and supplication, with a prayerful attitude of mind, with access into warmth of fellowship, so that in the ordinary concerns of life my thoughts and desires may rise to thee, and in habitual devotion I may find a resource that will soothe my sorrows, sanctify my successes, and qualify me in all ways for dealings with my fellow men. I bless thee that thou hast made me capable of knowing thee, the author of all being, of resembling thee, the perfection of all excellency, of enjoying thee, the source of all happiness. O God, attend me in every part of my arduous and trying pilgrimage; I need the same counsel, defenc

One of my professors yesterday said this: "Expository preaching requires commanding." 2 Timothy 4:2 2 preach the word 1 Timothy 4:13 13 Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. One thing we must remember is that as preachers, our job is not to simply give people our thoughts . When we look into the Word of God we are confronted with this reality that the preacher is to command his people to change . Read a sermon by Whitefield, or by Edwards, or by Spurgeon, or by Calvin. These men commanded their hearers to change. May we as preachers not say from the pulpit, " Well this might possibly be something that God, perhaps, may want you to apply to your life... I think this is what you should do." Rather , let us say, " Thus says the LORD from His authoritative Word ..." Preachers, preach with authority because you are preaching the Words of the one who is the absolute Potentate!

Did you know that this is a oft occuring word in the New Testament? Almost all English translations translate the Greek word for slave (doulos) as "servant," or "bondservant." But the real idea behind this word doulos is that of a slave in the Greco-Roman world. Last night I heard a sermon from John 15:14-15: "You are My friends, if you do what I command you. 15 "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. Here Jesus says to his disciples that they are his friends. Yet, even though we have been freed from the Law, we are still slaves to righteousness (Rom 6:15-23). In the New Testament, "believers are slaves of Christ and, furthermore, intimate slaves of Christ, because we have been told the things from God the Father (John 15:15). To be a true friend of God is to submit and obey all that He commands. T

"Unquestionably the supreme kingship of Yahweh (in which he displays his transcendent greatness and goodness) is the most basic metaphor and most pervasive theological concept in the Psalter—as in the OT generally. It provides the fundamental perspective in which people are to view themselves, the whole creation, events in “nature” and history, and the future. All creation is Yahweh’s one kingdom. To be a creature in the world is to be a part of his kingdom and under his rule. To be a human being in the world is to be dependent on and responsible to him. To proudly deny that fact is the root of all wickedness—the wickedness that now pervades the world." Here is a great link to John Richard Sampey's article on Psalms in The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia online . I recommend it for your read. It helps to understand authorship, the psalm titles, the historical background and the various genres found in the psalter.

Tonight I did something that I have never done before while teaching. I did a " Jet Tour " through the book of James tonight at church and I began the study by reading the whole book. Reading it slowly and dramatically, it took me almost fifteen minutes exactly to read it in its entirety. I loved it! Here is why I chose to do this and here is why I believe it was beneficial: First of all, the practicality of the length of James is much easier to read than, say, Romans or Matthew or Hebrews (though this could [and should!] be done also). So, to read all five chapters of James will take about 15 minutes. Second, this is, I believe, how the letter of James was intended to be read. Of course we know there were no chapter divisions when James wrote it. I don't think that in the early church they said, let's open up to James chapter 1:2 and we're going to do an exposition on two verses (though I'm sure there were some studies of this nature). I think, for the most p

Oh Father, let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision ( Valley of Vision ).

The adversary has four objectives : 1) Distort or deny the truth of God’s Word 2) Discredit the Testimony of God’s people 3) Destroy the Believer’s Enthusiasm for God’s Work 4) Dilute the Effectiveness of God’s Church 1 Peter 5:8-9 8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

James 1:17-18 17 Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above , coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth , so that we might be, as it were, the first fruits among His creatures. Blessings.

I think one of the pressing needs facing Christians today is the need for precision and clarity in the gospel presentation. People know about God. People know about Jesus. People know (vaguely) about heaven and hell. But do they really know what is involved or the ramifications thereof? Flying from coast to coast last week put me next to an elderly couple from Atlanta. I was reminded again of the opaqueness of the gospel in people’s minds. People have this far-removed and distant connection with the truth revealed in God’s Word. But, sad to say, this is not enough to save a person’s soul. When I asked this couple for their testimonies, I received the simple, traditional answer along the lines of: “ I went to a revival meeting when I was young and went forward and did business with God .” And that’s it. That was their testimony. Anything about God and His holiness or justice? No. Anything about man and his sinfulness, rebellion, transgressions or lawlessness? No. Anything about Jesu