July 27, 2015 Truth2Freedom Daily Christian Blog/Article Collection

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The Coming Of The Age Of Gibberish

This is where the New Left looks set to undo itself.  The very language upon which it depends for articulating its moral and political ambition—e.g., equality, gender, humanity, rights, etc.—was predicated upon reality being more than a linguistic construct or the creation of individual egos.

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The Sunday Worship Killer

Instead of meeting with God, she played the cynic. Instead of hearing the voice of God, she heard the frail words of the preacher. Instead of a mind stirred by truth, it was stymied in criticism. Instead of a heart moved with joy, it was hardened in judgment.

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Reflections On SCOTUS Oberkeful Opinion #1

I am outraged that a nation claiming to be “under God” now legally, institutionally as well as culturally mocks the God of glory. Therefore, I lament that this ruling not only positions this nation under God’s judgment but reveals that we are already under the judgment of God.

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A Modest Proposal: We Are The Satire

Not only is Planned Parenthood engaged in haggling over body parts and organs of murdered children, but the gods of this world are feasting on our children – the gods of entertainment, pleasure, reputation, influence, sports, education, safety, security, etc. – and too many of us are making them plump for the eating. We have become Swift’s satire and it’s intolerable.

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How We Made Too Much of Gender

I’m not minimizing the difficult reality of Jenner’s condition, gender dysphoria, and others like Jenner. Still, we’re all experiencing the consequences of a cultural fixation on gender. A man or woman, a boy or girl, who tends toward the features considered “the other” might question his or her identity in a way that may not have happened a few decades ago.

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Black Christians, Personhood, And Planned Parenthood

When it comes to personhood, Planned Parenthood occupies a “special place” in the life and history of the African American community. In its infancy, Planned Parenthood serviced many urban communities. It’s still true today, where well over 75% of its clinics are found in minority neighborhoods. On average, over 1,000 Black babies are aborted every day in America. Black women have a higher abortion rate than any other ethnic group in America. More Black babies are aborted than any other cause of death in America. According to CDC statistics, since 1973,2.26 million blacks have died from heart disease. A conservative estimate on the number of black babies aborted since that time is around 12 million.

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A Pastor’s Reflections: The Way of the Cross and Criticism

Christ, Paul, and the other apostles were all subjected to withering criticism. If you’re a pastor and find yourself under the fire of criticism, then you’re in good company. Don’t look for a way out—after prayerful consideration of whether the criticism is valid—press on and follow in the footsteps of Christ. Press forward in the way of the cross.

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God Would Rather Pour Out Mercy Than Wrath

Multitudes in our country are getting what they want. They are celebrating sin. But in getting what they want, in his wrath, God is giving them over to their sin. Yet God still desires to rescue them from his wrath. So we should pray that God would have mercy on multitudes in this nation, bring them out of their sin and into the kingdom of God.

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The president of #PlannedParenthood did her cause no favors in interview. #DefundPP

http://abcnews.go.com/video/embed?id=32692756

The President of Planned Parenthood Cecile Richards did her cause no favors in her appearance this morning on “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” (see above). Stephanopoulos was not a hostile interviewer, yet Richards failed to answer the simplest of questions put to her. Read more of this post


The Australian Sodomy Party

While the Australian Greens probably already own the title of being the sodomy party, the recent Federal Labor Party conference established Labor as worthy recipients of this [dis]honour as well. Instead of dealing with vital concerns like health and education and national defence, the Labor Party spend a huge amount of time on sodomite marriage.

This tells us all we need to know about their priorities. And their morality, or lack thereof. This is the party which thinks that two per cent of the population should be allowed to destroy the institution of marriage, and they think they are somehow the party of the working class. Go figure.

labor 3Of course the Labor Party has been heading down the tubes for decades now. Recall the powerful words of Kim Beazley Sr at the WA Labor state conference in 1970, in which he blasted his comrades for their politically correct madness:


Why is worship important?

Why is worship important?

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Ministry Matters

The heart of worship Worship is so integral to the life of the church that when we say we are “going to church,” what we most often mean is that we will be attending a …

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Wake up to the Corrupting Effects of Compromise

Wake up to the Corrupting Effects of Compromise

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Desiring God

What do we do when we see the corrupting effect of compromise at work in ourselves or those we know? Jesus’s prescription is painfully, mercifully brief: “be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:19). The severe simplicity of his prescription is hopeful.

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10 Bible verses to help you through bereavement

10 Bible verses to help you through bereavement

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Christian Today

Ten Bible verses to help you through grief and remind you that God is faithful, and his promises are for us even in our darkest moments.

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Retirees help Asian church leaders teach the Bible

Retirees help Asian church leaders teach the Bible

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Baptist Press

A retired couple, both 69, volunteer several months each year to help train pastors and church leaders in Asia.

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Huckabee: Obama Pushing Jews toward Holocaust

Huckabee: Obama Pushing Jews toward Holocaust

Posted on July 27, 2015 by CBN

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee is not backing down from accusing President Barack Obama of pushing the Jewish state toward another Holocaust.

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Kenya Rejects Obama's Gay Rights Pitch

Kenya Rejects Obama’s Gay Rights Pitch

Posted on July 27, 2015 by CBN

President Obama is in Ethiopia Monday, the first sitting American president to visit East Africa’s second most populous nation.

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Morning Roundup 7/27/15

Morning Roundup 7/27/15

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Christianity Today

Donald Trump’s Faith; Burning Man 2015; Evangelicals and Gay Marriage

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State forbids pastors calling homosexuality ‘sinful’

State forbids pastors calling homosexuality ‘sinful’

Posted on July 27, 2015 by Tru News

The state of Kentucky has begun imposing a religious test on volunteer pastor counselors in its youth division, insisting that they refrain from calling homosexuality “sinful” and dismissing those who cannot bend their religious faith to accommodate the state requirements. The policy was uncovered by Liberty Counsel, which has sent a letter to Bob Hayter, …

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Whither the Southern Baptists?

Joseph Farah examines ominous ‘mixed messages’ of denomination ethics leader Russel Moore

It’s the largest Christian denomination in the U.S.

In the past, it’s been rock-solid in its commitment to authentic biblical values and salt and light in America’s popular culture and political culture.

I just wonder where the Southern Baptists are headed today.

My concern comes from the mixed messages being disseminated furiously by Russell Moore, president of the denomination’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission.

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The darkest headlines I have read in years – Rosenberg

But I need to draw your attention to some of the most troubling headlines I have seen in years. The news in the Middle East is dark and getting darker, to be sure. But the headlines here in America are getting very dark as well.

No, this is not fiction. These are not plots of my future novels. This is all happening across America this month.

Consider the following:

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8 Reasons Why Loving Money is so Dangerous

Having dealt with the roles and relationships of men and women, elders and deacons, employers and employees, in 1 Timothy 6v9-10 the Apostle Paul addresses with the Christian’s relationship with money and issues eight warnings about why we should not turn it into an idol.

“(9) But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. (10) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

1. It tempts (v. 9): Loving money makes us do wrong things in order to get more of it.

2. It traps (v. 9): The love of money gets a grip on us, it won’t let go, and becomes obsessional.

3. It stimulates lust (v. 9): It produces multiple other sinful desires and provides opportunity for their fulfillment.

4. It harms (v. 9): The lusts themselves injure the luster, and what they result in does even more harm.

5. It destroys (v. 9): It sucks the oxygen out of life, slowly killing us as it sinks us to the depths of perdition.

6. It diverts (v. 10): Some wrong turns are not too dangerous, but the love of money produces a fatal diversion that leads away from the faith.

7. It depresses (v. 10): Money love produces soul pain and soul sadness.

8. It ends (v. 7): We brought nothing in and it is certain we can carry nothing out.


Your Work Matters to God

Your work matters to God.

Many people in the church suffer from a messed up, incomplete, or even harmful theology of work. Too often, we pastors have spent all of our time talking about the hours people are not working. But the reality is that most people spend most of their time working. That’s why we need to see what the Bible says about vocation.

So what does the Bible say? Genesis 1 and 3 give us five key observations about God’s view of work.


Legalism: Its Three Basic Forms

It’s time for our “Ism Monday” and today I would like to speak of one of the darker isms we will ever deal with. It is not so much a philosophical ism, nor a political ism, but rather a theological ism. I would like us to consider today legalism. And I want to suggest that legalism has at least three different definitions.


No Platform High Enough

No Platform High EnoughWhen it is platform you crave, when it is the size or the popularity of your following that you use as the measure of your success, you will inevitably and eventually find that there is no platform high enough. No success will ever perfectly fulfill your ambitions.

When it is recognition that you are after, affirmation of your hard work, affirmation of your skills or wisdom or contributions, there can be no reward fulfilling enough. There will always be one more acknowledgment you want and one more you are sure you need.

When it is the size of your congregation that motivates your actions and serves as your goal, not even a megachurch will satisfy. There is no church big enough. Even if the church is packed to the rafters, and even if it expands to campuses around the city or state, you will remain unfulfilled.

When it is money that motivates and money that promises joy, your satisfaction in money will only ever be hollow. If joy promises that it is just a salary increase away, you will find that joy remains forever just out of reach. There is no wealth great enough. You will always crave just a little bit more.

When it is the CEO’s office that promises completion and fulfillment, when it is the top job at the top firm, no job title will satisfy. There is no position and no compensation package grand enough to satisfy your desire for joy.

When it is possessions that holds out the promise of joy, you will find that even the most stuff and the nicest stuff fails to bring satisfaction. You can fill your home, your basement, your garage, your storage unit with the best stuff money can buy, but the ache inside will not go away.

When it is conference invitations you want, there will never be a conference big enough. There will never be a crowd large enough. There will never be a fanbase adoring enough. There will never be a location distant enough. Satisfaction will remain frustratingly elusive.

When it is book sales that drive your ambitions and promise joy, there will never be a book that sells well enough. Even a runaway bestseller and a round of morning talk show invites will leave you feeling hollow.

When it is sexual satisfaction that promises true fulfillment, no lover will fulfill. No succession of lovers will fulfill. Each episode and each person will only increase your desire for what you cannot find. There is no sexual pleasure fulfilling enough.

No matter your goal, no matter your god, it will not and cannot bring lasting satisfaction. In this world, God’s world, these kinds of desires were never meant to bring ultimate satisfaction. Rather, all the pleasures of this world are meant to be subordinate, to point beyond themselves to the satisfaction that is found in God. The deepest joy this world offers, and the only lasting joy this world offers, is the joy that comes from seeking his kingdom instead of your own.


14 Verses for the Spiritual Battle

Spiritual warfare is a reality of life. If you are a leader of Christ’s church, you have a bullseye on your back. If you’re in a battle today, let these texts give you strength.

1. Genesis 3:14-15  Then the Lord God said to the serpent:  . . . I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.

It was God Himself who put the enmity — the hostility — between the seed of the serpent and the seed of the woman; thus, He must have a purpose for the battle.

2. Exodus 15:3  The Lord is a warrior; Yahweh is His name.

It’s really quite simple: God is our warrior. And He does not lose. Period.

3. 1 Samuel 17:47  . . . and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s. He will hand you over to us.

David got it right. The battle is God’s, and He delivers according to His own plans.

4. 2 Kings 6:16  Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.” 

God’s forces may be unseen, but they are not unaware or unavailable. The size of the Enemy’s forces need not worry us.

5. 2 Chronicles 20:15  This is what the Lord says: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God’s.”

Jahaziel spoke truth. If the battle is the Lord’s, we do not need to be afraid or discouraged.

6. Job 1:9  Satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Haven’t You placed a hedge around him, his household, and everything he owns?”

Even when God gives the enemy permission to attack us, Satan knows he cannot go beyond God’s protection. The Enemy knows about God’s hedges.

7. Matthew 4:10-11  Then Jesus told him, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve only Him.” Then the Devil left Him.

That’s the way it works: Jesus says, “Get away,” and the devil flees. He has to.

8. Mark 1:23  Just then a man with an unclean spirit was in their synagogue. He cried out, “What do You have to do with us, Jesus—Nazarene? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”

The demons know who Jesus is. He’s the Holy One who has come to destroy them.

9. Luke 22:31-32  “Simon, Simon, look out! Satan has asked to sift you like wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail.”

Not only must Satan get permission to sift us, but the same Jesus who gives him permission to attack us is the One who prays us through the conflict. He never leaves us alone.

10. Romans 16:20   The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

The God who gives us peace is also the God who defeats the Enemy in the battle. God will keep His Word of Genesis 3:15 — Satan will not win.

11. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10  Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me . . . . For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The Enemy’s attacks may weaken us, but in God’s plan we defeat him by our weakness – not by our strength. “God, make me weak” is, in God’s economy, a prayer for victory.

12. Ephesians 6:10-11  Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God.

The strength we do have is God’s strength. The armor we wear is God’s armor. Victory in warfare is never about us — and that’s a good thing.

13. 1 John 4:4  . . . the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

God lives in us. That’s amazing. That’s also our guarantee of victory.

14. Revelation 12:11  They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not love their lives in the face of death.

Even if we die in the battle, we still win.

When we get that truth right, the enemy can’t hurt us anymore.


The Daily Discovery (July 27, 2015)

Believing What We Cannot Comprehend – “If anything be but in the Bible, I never for a single moment think of questioning it. Miracles? Strong historical statements? I believe them all; I can almost go as far as the old woman who said that she not only believed that the whale swallowed Jonah, but that, if the Bible had said that Jonah swallowed the whale, she would have believed it. It says nothing of the kind, but I would go even to that length if it were a clear, positive statement of the Scriptures.”

How’s That Pagan “Conservatism” Workin’ Out For Ya, Christian? – “Will we be ruled by Christ the King’s clear and detailed life- and civilization-sustaining standard as lovingly revealed in His perfect Word?  Or will we instead insist on being ruled by the man-centered, mankind-enslaving will and words of men?”

Craig Groeschel – God is Knocking on Your Heart’s Door – “Did you know that God is standing at the door of the unbelieving heart and knocking away, just waiting for that heart to answer and open? Did you know that God is begging and pleading with you to ‘please, please, please, please, let Me in!’  Is that really what’s happening? Craig Groeschel at Lifechurch.tv thinks so.  And is it really as simple as opening up your heart to let God in? Is that the gospel? That’s what Craig says in this video. But what about turning from sin, and taking up your cross, and faith in Jesus Christ alone?”

Coming to Jesus in unbelief – “The ‘after the two days’ refers to the two days Jesus and His disciples spent in Sychar of Samaria ministering to the people there. The statement by our Lord about a prophet not having honor in his own country contrasts the believing response of the Samaritans with the unbelief of our Lord’s own people in Galilee and Judea. The Jews reticent faith depended on our Lord’s performance of miracles while all He did in Samaria was preach the truth. The Samaritans responded, but the Jews were not open to Him, but more often than not, exhibited reluctance and hardness. In my translation, the verb ‘received’ from v45 is ἐδέξαντο the 3rd person, Aorist tense, Indicative mood, Middle voice case of δέχομαι or dechomai, ‘essentially means to receive something, but it can also mean to welcome someone.’”

Integrity and Personal Holiness – “Do you sometimes struggle to tell the difference between the church and the world? The church is now so adept at compromising with the world that it has forgotten how to be uncompromising. Many modern churchgoers have let the culture influence and corrupt their values, tastes, and practices—blurring the lines between sin and righteousness, and the clarity of God’s truth.”


SERMON:

Emilio Ramos – Panel Discussion [The Truth and Love Conference]


VIDEOS:

This is War

Todd Friel comments on the the Duggar’s and Bruce Jenner


“If you alter or obscure the Biblical portrait of God in order to attract converts, you don’t get converts to God, you get converts to an illusion. This is not evangelism but deception.” – John Piper

The post The Daily Discovery (July 27, 2015) appeared first on Entreating Favor.


Blogs

Professors and the New Public Sphere | Thomas Kidd
Anyone interested in teaching should read this.

And Now You Know the Rest of the Story | Ligonier: Eric Bancroft
Five steps to guide group Bible studies.

Crushed | TGC: Nancy Guthrie
Nancy Guthrie writes a letter to Christian women who have abortions in their past.

God Doesn’t Need my Kid to Defeat the Odds | En Route: Kara Dedert
“It is morning and Calvin is coughing–his lungs are full after a night of sleep. Deliverance hasn’t come from our circumstances. But God doesn’t need Calvin to beat the odds in order to prove his goodness, faithfulness, power and salvation. Our weakness is precisely what he is using to show his power and presence.”

Talking to Children About God’s Plan for Sexuality | Ligonier: Nate Shurden
“Let’s face it. It’s difficult speaking with our children about matters of sexuality. For starters, we’re nervous when bringing up the subject due to the sensitive nature of the material. When the subject surfaces, our minds often go blank and we fumble for words. Once the words come out, we usually say the wrong thing, or say it in the wrong way. It feels like we can’t win for losing.”

Who Do You Call After Domestic Violence | Justin Holcomb
Justin makes a good case for calling the police then the pastor. And some of the stats in this article are horrifying. And here’s another on How Pastors Can Best Help Victims of Domestic Abuse.

Ten Proposed Commandments for Christian Parenting | TGC: Jason Helopoulos
And here’s Mark Jones on Rewarding our Children for Obedience.

Welcome to the Grand Age of Apologetics | Christianity Today
Interview with Os Guinness.

Does the Bible say anything about sleep habits?

David Roach:

Americans aren’t getting enough shut-eye. That’s the conclusion of a recent study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found that nearly nine million Americans take prescription sleeping pills and such prescriptions have tripled for people between 18 and 24. Of course, occasional sleepless nights are normal for nearly everyone and sometimes insomnia is caused by uncontrollable factors like physical pain or nightmares. But can a lack of sleep indicate a spiritual problem? Does the Bible say anything to guide us in our sleep patterns? You might be surprised to learn that the answer is yes to both questions.

How Do You Define Joy?

John Piper starts a new six-part study series on Philippians:

https://player.vimeo.com/video/134251889

3 Ways to Grow in Faith

Mike Leake:

Just as in any relationship our communion is often in direct proportion to our faith and love. If I sin against you our relationship is going to be harmed. Likewise, if I feel slighted by you then it will impact the way we relate to one another. How much worse does a human relationship get if one person loses trust in the other one? In the same way—our lively experience of the Lord is often in proportion to our faith.

So how do we grow in our faith?

Creating a New Wrong Way when the Right Way seems to be a Wrong Way

JD Payne offers an interesting perspective on Mark 1:44-45.

How We Became Too Busy For Friends

Pam Lau:

Too many of today’s friendships—both inside and outside of the church—suffer from fragmentation and superficiality. That is, we are too scattered to commit knowing and caring for a person deeply. Instead, we settle for friends who are merely familiar faces for extended small talk. Perhaps it’s because we are afraid of the intimacy or have been burned by bad relationships in the past. Or perhaps it’s because this is the kind of relationship we see modeled and expected in our neighborhoods, schools, and small groups. Dr. Daniel J Siegel, a neuropsychiatrist, advises that little bit of empathy goes a long way. He believes in what he calls mindsight—a new approach to relationships that teaches the skills of reflection, relationships, and resilience.

Looking Away From Abortion – Ross Douthat has a good and powerful editorial on the situation surrounding Planned Parenthood.

Why Fireflies Glow – You know that they glow, but scientists are only just figuring out why they glow.

The Frequency of English Words – Here’s an interesting video that talks about one of my favorite things: words.

Don’t Pray About the Book of Mormon – Mormon missionaries often ask you to take the Book of Mormon and to pray about it. This article explains why you shouldn’t do that.

Don’t Blame Trump, Blame America – I usually try to avoid politics (and especially U.S. politics) but I think Canada’s Rex Murphy says a lot of insightful things in this article. He places Trump’s popularity in the middle of today’s cultural and ethical mess.

TGC Church Directory – The Gospel Coalition has a very helpful (and newly updated) directory of associated churches. It’s a great place to begin the search when you’re traveling or relocating.

We Will Not Bow – “Last Sunday night (July 19), John MacArthur addressed the church’s response to an American society that is growing increasingly hostile to biblical morality and the truth of the gospel.” You can read, listen, or watch as you see fit.


Interview: Dr. Phillip Bethancourt on the Violence of the Old Testament


Submitting to authority

The Bible teaches Christians to submit to authority. But what kind of authority? Is there ever a time to not submit? We’re talking about that with our guest today, Pastor Saiko Woods. Pastor Woods is from His Word His Way Fellowship Church in Sugar Land, Texas, where he preaches God’s Word is our final authority. […]

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We Want Explanation; God Gives Revelation

John Calvin’s favorite Bible verse was Deuteronomy 29:29: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God; but the things that are revealed belong to us and our children forever.” That truth bothers a lot of people (it used to really bother me), because it means that there are things that God hasn’t revealed to us—things that he might never reveal to us.

Many people simply can’t accept a God that they can’t fully explain. It’s the heart behind most skeptics’ questions: How can there be a God with all the evil in the world? If God is real, what about _____? The questions vary, but the heart is the same: when it comes to God, we often demand explanation.

I used to be the same way. In many ways, I still am. I don’t like the unexplained. But I just can’t ignore how often Scripture shows us that when we demand explanation, God gives revelation.

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Do Angels Draw Strength From Us?

Do Angels touch and feel your body for energy?

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Ezekiel’s 430 Day Model

Could you explain the three hundred ninety days and forty days prophecy in Ezekiel 4:6. Does this apply to the regathering of Israel or the re-unification of Jerusalem or both?

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Interpreting 1 Peter 2:9

Our pastor is vacationing, so an elder was preaching on the above scripture and giving it as evidence of the “New Israel”. I was so upset I left and told him quietly that it was a false liberal message. Was I wrong to leave? I couldn’t handle hearing this.

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07/27/15 Weeping over the Nations

READING: Isaiah 44-48

TEXTS AND APPLICATION: I think today about the billions of people around the world who worship idols. While we in North America often worship our own types of idols, I think particularly about those who still form idols by their own hands and then bow before them. What seems almost silly to us is a matter of life and death to so many who do not know Jesus.

Today’s readings in Isaiah often compare the true God of Israel with the false gods of idolatry. Note these comparisons:

  • The idolators made their own idols (Isa. 44:9-17), but God formed His own people (Isa. 44:21).
  • The makers of idols will be humiliated (Isa. 45:16), but God’s people will not be put to shame (Isa. 45:17).
  • Idolators pray to false gods who cannot save them (Isa. 44:17, 45:20), but God alone is the righteous God and Savior (Isa. 45:21b).
  • Idolators bow before idols they shaped with their own hammers (Isa. 44:12) and can carry in their own hands (Isa. 45:20), but God is the creator of the heavens (Isa. 45:18) whose own hand founded the earth (Isa. 48:13).
  • Idolators carry their idols, and the same idols are a burden to the animals that must transport them (Isa. 46:1-2); God, on the other hand, carries His own people and bears the burden for them (Isa. 46:3-4).
  • Idols cannot tell the future (Isa. 44:2), cannot save (Isa. 45:20), cannot carry a burden (Isa. 46:2), and cannot answer prayer (Isa. 46:7); God announces the future (Isa. 48:5), saves His people (Isa. 44:22), bears their burdens (Isa. 46:4), and leads them in the way they should go (48:17).
  • Idols are only a block of wood (Isa. 19), but God is Yahweh the Creator (Isa. 44:24), the Holy One of Israel (Isa. 47:4), the righteous God and Savior (Isa. 45:21).
God is the only true God, and there is no other (repeated multiple times in Isa. 44:6, 44:8, 45:5-7, 45:14, 45:18, 45:21-22, 46:9, 48:11-12). Still, much of the world bows before their own creations, crying out to idols that cannot hear, and trusting powers that cannot save. We surely must grieve.

PRAYER: Pray that we would weep over the lostness of the world today — and be willing to do whatever it takes that the nations would know their Creator and Redeemer.


The Greatest Story Ever Told

Greatest StoryGod’s goal in all of His creative and redemptive work is to bring glory to Himself (Isa 43:7; cf. Eph 1:6, 12, 14).

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What is The Gospel?


“My Last Day” — the Jesus Anime

9 powerful minutes of animation that begins with a thief behind bars watching the scourging of Jesus, and it ends with the thief dying next to Jesus, and waking to see Him in a beautiful place.

The dying thief: What was so great about his faith?

There are many acts of extraordinary faith in the Bible. The one that has impressed me the most concerns the dying thief on the cross. We could take the approach that he had nothing to lose, so he decided to cast his lot with Jesus. But this makes absolutely no sense of the text and the context.
In this conversion we have a specific fulfillment of Christ’s first words on the cross. No sooner had Christ spoken the words, “Father, forgive them,” had the Father answered that prayer by turning a once-reviling criminal into a Christ-glorifying saint. While the soon-to-be converted criminal was not directly responsible for Christ’s death, he nevertheless joined with those who were and was thus indirectly addressed when Christ asked for God to forgive “them.”
Christ, the sinless one, was numbered with or counted among the transgressors (Isa. 53:12; Luke 22:37), all of whom have a bigger problem than the day-to-day sins they commit. They hate Christ, the God-man. Anyone who has a master other than the Lord Jesus hates him (Lk. 16:13; Gal. 4:8). That these two criminals loathed him is clearly manifested during the crucifixion: “And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way” (Matt. 27:44).
When the criminal who was converted was doing his worst against Christ, Christ was doing his best for this criminal.
The conversion of the one criminal was most extraordinary and testifies to the power of Christ’s prayer and the grace of God. Why?
This criminal’s faith did not come at a time such as when Christ turned water into wine; or performed miracles, such as walking on water, opening the eyes of a blind man, or raising Lazarus from the dead. No! The criminal believed on the Messiah while he was hanging as one cursed upon a tree. The criminal trusted in and boldly defended the one whose disciples had abandoned him. Jesus was at his lowest when this criminal asked to be remembered in Christ’s kingdom.
When he was on the cross, did anyone publicly cry out, as John the Baptist did, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn. 1:29)? But this is essentially what the dying thief did. Little wonder, then, that Christ should promise him a place in his kingdom: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Lk. 23:43).
The criminal acknowledged he was guilty; he acknowledged that Christ was not (“this man has done nothing wrong”); he feared God; but, and here is the key: the criminal did not merely want to be in a better place. He wanted to be with Christ in a better place: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Lk. 23:42). The criminal believed “against all hope”.
Heaven is a better place because that is where Christ is. Everyone wants to go to heaven, but not everyone wants to go to Christ’s heaven. Not so with this criminal: he saw, with his eyes, Christ at his worst; but with the eyes of faith, he believed that Christ would soon be at his best, and so put his faith in a dying king.
Christ is always – always! – willing to save even the most miserable of sinners. A recognition of guilt (Lk. 23:40) and a confidence in him and not ourselves (Lk. 23:42) will always lead to the most assuring truth a sinner can receive: the Savior welcomes such into his paradise!
“One is saved, and we may not despair; the other is lost, and we may not presume.” Spurgeon
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