Some bold -- but true -- words from Mr. Spurgeon:"If the professed convert distinctly and deliberately declares that he knows the Lord's will, but does not mean to attend to it, you are not to pamper his presumptions, but it is your duty to assure him that he is not save...
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Augustine's definition of the TRINITY -- 5th c. AD
Augustine wrote:"We believe, we maintain, we faithfully preach, that the Father begat the Word, that is, Wisdom, by which all things were made, the only-begotten Son, one as the Father is one, eternal as the Father is eternal, and, equally with the Father, supremely good; and tha the Holy Spirit is the Spirit alike of Father and of Son, and is Himself consubstantial and co-eternal with both; and that...
the sin of complaining.
I had a handful of good and hard conversations this weekend at RESOLVED on complaining and the seriousness of it.Paul writes in Philippians 2:14 "Do everything without complaining or grumbling" (Philippians 2:14 Πάντα ποιεῖτε χωρὶς γογγυσμῶν καὶ διαλογισμῶν).The sin of complaining is in essence saying...
Saturday, June 25, 2011
a change of plans — praise God!
We came to Palm Springs, CA for the RESOLVED conference yesterday. Thirteen of us arrived at our hotel yesterday with plenty of time to check-in, then travel to the conference center for registration and then a quick dinner before session #1. When we arrived at the hotel in Palm Springs we found out...
Friday, June 24, 2011
RESOLVED 2011 will be LIVE-STREAMED
It'll be LIVE-STREAMED at www.resolved.org.2011 Schedule Friday 8pmRick Holland Saturday 9amJohn MacArthur 11amAl Mohler 5pmJohn MacArthur 7pmPanel Q & A Sunday 11amCJ Mahaney 7pmSteve Lawson Monday 9amRick...
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
ME and YOU before CHRIST
Here is what I was like before Christ (and you too!):What were you by nature? Were you a black-hearted wretch, sold under sin, running after all manner of iniquity as a thirsty man pursues a cool drink, seeking always to quench the burning desires of your sinful appetites and lusts? Were you a religious bigot, a Pharisee of the Pharisees, full of self and self-righteousness, proud that you were not...
the heart of a pastor
"The whole of our ministry must be carried on in a tender love to our people. We must let them see that nothing pleaseth us but what profiteth them; and that what doeth them good doth us good; and that nothing troubleth us more than their hurt."—Richard Baxt...
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
conversation with a yale divinity school student
I performed my first wedding a few days ago and at the reception I found myself in a conversation with a woman who went to Yale and took a class titled The Bible as Literature. Obviously, I was intrigued to hear all about the class and what she learned about the Bible from the class.Much of what I’ve...
Saturday, June 18, 2011
prayed for cfbc
Spent the morning in prayer for the Church that God has sovereignly called me to shepherd, Christ Fellowship Bible Church of St. Louis.I echo the words of Paul:Ephesians 1:16-19 — while making mention of you in my prayers; 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to...
Friday, June 17, 2011
god is awe-ful and good.
From C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia:One of the children learning that Aslan is a lion wants to know more..."Is he—quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion.""That you will, dearie, and no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver, "and if there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking they're either braver than most or else just silly.""So then he isn't safe?" said Lucy."Safe?"...
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
worship.
"Worship is simply about value. The simplest definition I can give is this: Worship is our response to what we value most. That's why worship is that thing we all do. It's what we're all about on any given day. Worship is about saying, "this person, this thing, this experience (this whatever) is what matters most to me . . . it's the thing of highest value in my life." That "thing" might be a relationship....
When a Real Estate Agent Opens His Bible and Invites a Heavy Metal Guitarist to Church
Brian Welch, former guitarist for Korn, tells his story, including the way our extraordinary God used ordinary means to bring him to himself:HT: Justin Tay...
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
shepherd the flock of God...
1 Peter 5:1-4 Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, 2 shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness; 3 nor yet as lording it over those allotted to...
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
ten reasons to preach the WORD OF GOD.
1. Its message is timeless and truly powerful2. The Bible is the good news of salvation3. It sets forth divine truth with clarity and certainty4. It stands as the authoritative self-revelation of God5. It exalts Christ as the Head of His church6. It is the means God uses to sanctify His people7. It...
beware of sin. don't live in isolated sin
Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in the early 20th century:"Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and the more deeply he becomes involved in it, the more disastrous is his isolation. Sin wants to remain unknown. It shuns the light. In the darkness of the unexpressed it poisons the whole...
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Power in the Church
"If there be this day any power in the church of God, it is because the Holy Spirit is in the midst of her. If she be able to work any spiritual miracles, it is through the might of his indwelling. If there be any light in her instruction, if there be any life in her ministry, if there be any glory gotten to God, if there be any good wrought among the sons of men, it is entirely because the Holy Spirit...
a kid in a candy store — or something (nerdy!) like that...
These are some photos of me and some old (really old!) Greek manuscripts for my PhD class — NT textual criticism. Quite a fun day in the library!Manuscript 1957 (15th c. miniscule)Codex Sinaiticus (4th c. AD)P74 (3rd c AD; Rev 15)Codex Vaticanus (4th c. AD)Some weird guy who knows he's not a text...
2 unrelated yet related issues...
First, God encouraged my heart this morning with this:Hebrews 7:25-27 — 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 26 ¶ For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, like those high priests,...
Sunday, June 5, 2011
prayed & prepared
Today I preach my last sermon at Christ Community Church—where I've served as a pastor for five years. I'm preaching Psalm 145. My goal is to extol God, to exalt Christ and proclaim the gospel with all boldness & passion so that the Holy Spirit may edify the saved & draw His elect to salvation.Psalm 145:1-3 I will extol You, my God, O King, And I will bless Your name forever and ever. 2...
Friday, June 3, 2011
can you be erased from the BOOK OF LIFE?
Some read the Scriptures and conclude that one could lose salvation; that is, their name could be erased from the Lamb's Book of Life. They could go to this Scripture for their support:Revelation 3:5 5 'He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.But is Revelation...
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