Podcast appearances and mentions of David F Wells

The Conflict (v. 1) The inquiry The indictment The Cause (vv. 2-3) Our selfish preferences Our selfish pleasures The Conviction (vv. 4-5) Charge of adultery Cheating on God The Cure Humility before God Proximity to God Purity in God More to Consider The two major ideas vying for supremacy within the last century and a half are state run, centrally planned communism (and its little brother, socialism) and free market, private property centered capitalism. Arthur Brooks of the American Enterprise Institute, presenting for the internet think tank PragerU.com, demonstrates the goal of both political ideologies to work for the basic common good. Quoting Frederic Hayek, Brooks says, Whats the best way to help poor people escape poverty? Progressives and conservatives have very different answers to this question, but before we explore those answers, lets agree on this: Both progressives and conservatives believe that the government has a moral obligation to help those who, through bad luck or unfortunate circumstances, cant help themselves. Heres what a conservative icon, Nobel Prize-winning economist, Frederic Hayek, said on the subject: There is no reason why, in a society that has reached the general level of wealth ours has attained, the first kind of security should not be guaranteed to all...some minimum of food, shelter, and clothing sufficient to preserve health and the capacity to work. Whatever the media might tell you, there isnt a conservative out there who would not agree with Hayeks statement. Both philosophies seek to turn collective attention toward a common good, and both have been and are being tried to various levels of success. However, both are human constructs and, therefore each have their weaknesses. Mike Farley In the absence of a compelling external authority that enables us to draw the line confidently between right and wrong, true and false, we are left to fumble about with only our feelings to guide us. And are these feelings not often driven by self-desire and self-justification? Feelings are notoriously unreliable as a guide to belief or behavior. David F. Wells

The fundamental problem in the evangelical world today is not inadequate technique, insufficient organization, or antiquated music; and those who want to squander the church's resources bandaging these scratches will do nothing to stanch the flow of blood that is spilling from its true wounds. The fundamental problem in the evangelical world today is that God rests too inconsequentially upon the church. His truth is too distant, his grace is too ordinary, his judgment is too benign, his gospel is too easy, and his Christ is too common. — David F. Wells

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“[Y]our brain can instinctively trust people simply because they sound as if they know what they're talking about…. Put another way, ‘Whom we trust is not only a reflection of who is trustworthy, but also a reflection of who we are'….”~Tim Herrera, journalist with The New York Times “Religion used to be the opium of the people….  But now, we are witnessing a transformation, a true opium of the people is the belief…that for our betrayals, our greed, our cowardice, our murders, we are not going to be judged.”~Czesław Miłosz (1911-2004), Polish-American poet and Nobel Laureate, regarded as one of the great poets of the 20th century “A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgment through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.”~H. Richard Niebuhr (1894-1962), Yale professor, describing the religion of many American churches “The trouble with human nature is that we are born with a heart that loves ourselves over and above everything else in this world, including God. In short, we are born slaves to the lust for self-gratification, i.e., concupiscence. That's why, if left to ourselves, we will always love those things that make us feel good about ourselves, even as we depart more and more from God and his ways. Therefore, God must intervene in our lives in order to bring salvation.~Dr. Ashley Null, English Reformation scholar and author Sin “is irrational…. Sin deceives and destroys.”~Thabiti Anyabwile, pastor and author God “is not there to conform to us; we must conform to him. He summons us from outside of ourselves to know him. We do not go inside of ourselves to find him…. He is not known on our terms. This summons is heard in and through his Word. It is not heard through our intuitions.”~David F. Wells, professor and author in God in the Whirlwind “Recognizing who we are in Christ is the ultimate self-care because the Word of God doesn't reinvent itself along with a constantly changing culture.”~Alisa Childers, author and singer-songwriterSERMON PASSAGEJude 1-16 (ESV) 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” 10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.

In today's episode, I read out from a booklet titled "The  Bleeding of The Evangelical Church" by David F. Wells as it offers a sobering account on the state of the church today. The Bleeding of the Evangelical Church --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/foryoursoul/support

REFLECTION QUOTES “Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one” ~Bruce Lee (1940-1973), actor, director and martial artist “I think the reason we sometimes have the false sense that God is so far away is because that is where we have put him. We have kept him at a distance, and then when we are in need and call on him in prayer, we wonder where he is. He is exactly where we left him.” ~Ravi Zacharias (1946-2020), author and Christian apologist “In prayer it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart.” ~John Bunyan (1628-1688), preacher and author of Pilgrim's Progress “Peace in the Bible is not a negative, the absence of hostilities, but rather a positive that includes everything necessary for human flourishing. It is a holistic word. Peace comes when our physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual needs are met.” ~Glenn Sunshine, history professor and author Christ's love towards us, and not our love towards Christ, is the true ground of expectation, and true foundation of hope. ~J.C. Ryle (1816-1900), Anglican bishop “Do not look to your hope, but to Christ, the source of your hope.” ~C.H. Spurgeon (1834-1892), famed London preacher “Christian hope rests upon the fact not that evil can be ignored, or that it will simply fade away, but that it has been judged at the cross.” ~David F. Wells, theologian, professor and author “[K]now, at the end of the day, following Jesus is not necessarily designed to be safe. Safety is a natural desire but it can keep us from being like Jesus in the midst of an unsafe world.” ~The Art of Neighboring by Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon “…the church is not a human society of people united by their natural affinities but the Body of Christ, in which all members, however different, (and He rejoices in their differences and by no means wishes to iron them out) must share the common life, complementing and helping one another precisely by their differences.” ~C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), writer and Oxford professor SERMON PASSAGE James 5:13-20 (ESV) 13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. 17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. 18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. 19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, 20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

REFLECTION QUOTES “A world as materialistic, scientistic and consumeristic as ours inclines by its nature to self-absorption….” ~Graeme Hunter, philosopher at the University of Ottawa, Canada “How much larger your life would be, if your self could become smaller in it” ~G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), English writer and journalist “…we must come back to our first principles. And the most basic of these is the fact that God is there and that he is objective to us. He is not there to conform to us; we must conform to him. He summons us from outside of ourselves to know him. We do not go inside of ourselves to find him. We are summoned to know him only on his terms. He is not known on our terms. This summons is heard in and through his Word. It is not heard through our intuitions.” ~David F. Wells, author and theologian “…if I am asked what is my creed, I reply, ‘It is Jesus Christ.'… [Not a] system, or any other human treatise; but Christ Jesus, who is the sum and substance of the gospel, who is in himself all theology, the incarnation of every precious truth, the all-glorious personal embodiment of the way, the truth, and the life.” ~C.H. Spurgeon (1834-1892), famed London preacher “Here's the marvelous news. When you look up away from yourself and you look up to God, you see a God who is able…you see a God who has capacity and competence and power. You see a God who himself is not weak. And he will use that ability…in your life.” ~Thabiti Anyabwile, Washington, D.C.-based pastor and author “Worship is a believer's response to God's revelation of Himself. It is expressing wonder, awe, and gratitude for the worthiness, the greatness, and the goodness of our Lord. It is the appropriate response to God's person, His provision, His power, His promises, and His plan.” ~Nancy Leigh Wolgemuth, radio host and author SERMON PASSAGE Ephesians 1:3-14 (NASB) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love 5 He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, 6 to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. 7 In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8 which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight 9 He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him 10 with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

REFLECTION QUOTES “A cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.” ~Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) in Lady Windermere's Fan “One even wonders whether some current churchgoers might…be resistant were they to encounter a Christianity that is deep, costly, and demanding.” ~David F. Wells in God in the Whirlwind: How the Holy-love of God Reorients Our World “Anyone who has once been horrified by the dreadfulness of his own sin that nailed Jesus to the cross will no longer be horrified by even the rankest sins of a brother.” ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), theologian who lost his life defying Hitler “The power of just mercy is that it belongs to the undeserving. It's when mercy is least expected that it is most potent—strong enough to break the cycle of victimization and victimhood, retribution and suffering.” ~Brian Stephenson in Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption “Where there is no longer any opportunity for doubt, there is no longer any opportunity for faith either…. Christian faith does not involve repressing one's anxiety in order to appear strong. On the contrary, it means recognizing one's weakness, accepting the inward truth about oneself, confessing one's anxiety, and still to believe, that is to say that the Christian puts his trust not in his own strength, but in the grace of God.” ~Paul Tournier (1898-1986), the Swiss physician and author “Jesus is a teacher who doesn't just inform our intellect but forms our very loves. He isn't content to simply deposit new ideas into your mind; he is after nothing less than your wants, your loves, your longings.” ~James K.A. Smith in You Are What You Love: The Spiritual Power of Habit “It is like employing a small tool on big constructions, if we use human wisdom in the hunt for knowledge of reality.” ~Gregory of Nazianzus (c. 329-390), Archbishop of Constantinople SERMON PASSAGE Jude (ESV) 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. 8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” 10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. 14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage. 17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

REFLECTION QUOTES “If, 20 years ago, I had announced we would soon be creating machines that control humans, there would have been an uproar.” ~B.J. Fogg, Stanford researcher, on smart phones and social media “…what the heart loves, the will chooses, and the mind justifies.” “The trouble with human nature is that we are born with a heart that loves ourselves over and above everything else in this world, including God. In short, we are born slaves to the lust for self-gratification, i.e., concupiscence. That's why, if left to ourselves, we will always love those things that make us feel good about ourselves, even as we depart more and more from God and his ways. Therefore, God must intervene in our lives in order to bring salvation.” ~Ashley Null, scholar at Humboldt University in Berlin “…the best way to prepare people for authoritarian rule is not to indoctrinate them into an authoritarian philosophy, but to make them believe that there is no such thing as truth.” ~Jimmy Wales, founder of Wikipedia in NPR interview “Today, we think that each person must find his or her own way of being spiritual, something that is comfortable to that person; each spirituality is particular to each person.” “[But God] is not there to conform to us; we must conform to him. He summons us from outside of ourselves to know him. We do not go inside of ourselves to find him…. He is not known on our terms. This summons is heard in and through his Word. It is not heard through our intuitions.” ~David F. Wells in God in the Whirlwind: How the Holy-love of God Reorients Our World “If God is the source of supreme pleasure, beauty, love, and goodness—and He is—then turning away from God makes no sense. It's irrational…. In all of this, sin deceives and destroys.” ~Rev. Thabiti Anyabwile of Anacostia River Church in Washington, DC SERMON PASSAGE Jude (ESV) 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. 8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” 10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. 14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage. 17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

REFLECTION QUOTES “We demand too much of life, too little of ourselves.” ~Christopher Lasch (1932-1994) in The Culture of Narcissism: American Life in an Age of Diminishing Expectations “All people know the same truth. Our lives consist of how we choose to distort it.” “You expect the world to adjust…to the distortion you've become.” ~From the Woody Allen film “Deconstructing Harry” “The funny thing about the heart is a soft heart is a strong heart, and a hard heart is a weak heart.” ~Criss Jami, author and poet “…the Church itself is going to have to become more authentic morally, for the greatness of the Gospel is now seen to have become quite trivial and inconsequential in its life. If the Gospel means so little to the Church, if it changes so little, why then should unbelievers believe it?” ~David F. Wells, author and theologian in Losing Our Virtue “[People today] don't think, believe or reckon. They ‘feel like.' Listen for this phrase and you'll hear it everywhere.… For decades, Americans have been in the process of abandoning both the moral strictures of religion and the Enlightenment quest for universal truth in favor of obsessing over their own internal states and well-being…. This quest to understand and cope with our own feelings and desires — the current term of art is ‘self-care' — can lead to what the writer Christopher Lasch called ‘pseudo-self-awareness.' It can leave us too preoccupied with personal satisfaction to see the world clearly. ‘The new narcissist is haunted not by guilt but by anxiety.'” ~Molly Worthen, UNC history professor in a New York Times article, “Stop Saying ‘I Feel Like'” “There are many ways to fall down, but there's only one way to stand up straight.” ~G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936), English writer and journalist SERMON PASSAGE Jude (ESV) 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. 8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” 10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. 14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage. 17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

REFLECTION QUOTES “‘The truth.' Dumbledore sighed. ‘It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution.'” ~J.K. Rowling in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone “In a time of deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” “The further a society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it.” ~George Orwell (1903-1950), English novelist, journalist and critic “Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.” ~Blaise Pascal (1623-1662), French mathematician and thinker “Before mass leaders seize the power to fit reality to their lies, their propaganda is marked by its extreme contempt for facts as such, for in their opinion fact depends entirely on the power of man who can fabricate it.” ~Hannah Arendt (1906-1975), German-American political theorist “Men will never worship God with a sincere heart…until they properly understand how much they are indebted to His mercy.” ~John Calvin (1509-1564), French theologian and Genevan pastor “…when we listen to the church today, at least in the West, we are often left with impression that Christianity actually has very little to do with truth. Christianity is only about feeling better about ourselves, about leaping over our difficulties, about being more satisfied…. It is about everything except truth.” ~David F. Wells, theology professor and author “If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.” ~Augustine of Hippo (354-430), North African bishop “Sanctification is about living in ways that are consistent with what we already are in Christ.” ~David F. Wells in God in the Whirlwind: How the Holy-love of God Reorients Our World SERMON PASSAGE Jude (ESV) 1 Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James, To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ: 2 May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you. 3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ. 5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe. 6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day— 7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire. 8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. 9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.” 10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively. 11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam's error and perished in Korah's rebellion. 12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted; 13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever. 14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” 16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage. 17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. 18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” 19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit. 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. 22 And have mercy on those who doubt; 23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh. 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Reading is so important to my life...for my life as a Christian, as a wife, as a mom, and as a homemaker. But finding the time, motivation, and the budget to read can be tough. As a blogger, wife, and mom of 4, I get asked all the time how I find the time to read. I think ALL homemakers can find some time to read in their busy days...even if it's just a few books a year. Or if you are crazy like me, several books a month. So join me today as we discuss the importance of building reading into your daily schedules and routines, some practical ways to read more, and how to read a lot of books on a budget! Let's jump in: Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. In This Episode, You Will Learn: My typical reading schedules The importance of reading (both fiction AND non-fiction) How to fit more reading into your schedule: in the mornings, throughout your day, and at night Where to find books and audiobooks for free Where to find books for CHEAP! [Tweet "In short, reading is vital to my well being as a homemaker and my life as a Christian."] Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode Sign up for updates when our academy opens again Hf #25: Developing the Daily Habit of Bible Reading God in the Whirlwind: How the Holy Love of God Reorients Our World by David F. Wells 52 Things Husbands Need From Their Wives by Jay Payleitner

Reading is so important to my life...for my life as a Christian, as a wife, as a mom, and as a homemaker. But finding the time, motivation, and the budget to read can be tough. As a blogger, wife, and mom of 4, I get asked all the time how I find the time to read. I think ALL homemakers can find some time to read in their busy days...even if it's just a few books a year. Or if you are crazy like me, several books a month. So join me today as we discuss the importance of building reading into your daily schedules and routines, some practical ways to read more, and how to read a lot of books on a budget! Let's jump in: Right click here and save-as to download this episode to your computer. In This Episode, You Will Learn: My typical reading schedules The importance of reading (both fiction AND non-fiction) How to fit more reading into your schedule: in the mornings, throughout your day, and at night Where to find books and audiobooks for free Where to find books for CHEAP! [Tweet "In short, reading is vital to my well being as a homemaker and my life as a Christian."] Links & Resources Mentioned in This Episode Sign up for updates when our academy opens again Hf #25: Developing the Daily Habit of Bible Reading God in the Whirlwind: How the Holy Love of God Reorients Our World by David F. Wells 52 Things Husbands Need From Their Wives by Jay Payleitner

Today Jonathan Master is joined by Dr. David F. Wells, Distinguished Research Professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. Dr. Wells has written many books, including No Place for Truth: Or Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology? and God in the Whirlwind: How the Holy-Love of God Reorients Our World. He stops by to talk with Jonathan about the distinction between Systematic Theology and Biblical Theology.Just for listening, the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to give you a free resource. An MP3 of Richard B. Gaffin's lecture entitled "The Vitality of Reformed Systematic Theology" is free to download. Go to ReformedResources.org to download your free MP3!Theology on the Go is a brief conversation on eternal truths with Jonathan Master, Executive Editor of PlaceForTruth.org, a voice of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. Each program features a pastor/theologian discussing key biblical doctrines in thoughtful and accessible ways. Theology on the Go will help you better understand the finer points of theology, while showing how relevant and important theology truly is for Christians today.Dr. Wells' Books mentioned in the program:No Place for Truth: Or Whatever Happened to Evangelical Theology?God in the Wasteland: The Reality of Truth in a World of Fading DreamsLosing Our Virtue: Why the Church Must Recover Its Moral VisionThe Courage to be Protestant: Truth-lovers, Marketers, and Emergents in the Postmodern WorldGod in the Whirlwind: How the Holy-Love of God Reorients Our World

REFLECTION QUOTES “To think and to be fully alive are the same.” ~Hannah Arendt (1906-1975), German-born political theorist “Worldliness is what makes sin look normal in any age and righteousness seem odd.” ~David F. Wells, contemporary author and theologian “The safest road to Hell is the gradual one – the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.” ~C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) “The call to think Christianly is the essence of evangelism, not some optional add-on for nerdy, philosophically inclined believers.” ~Ken Myers, contemporary social commentator “Give yourself to prayer, to reading and meditation on divine truths: strive to penetrate to the bottom of them and never be content with a superficial knowledge.” ~David Brainerd (1718-1747), missionary “Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.” ~Resolution 28 of Jonathan Edwards' famed “Resolutions” (1722) “When we affirm, as the Church must, that freedom is not the natural endowment of every human being but it is something to be won by acknowledgment of the truth, and that in the end the truth is something given in the sheer grace of God to be received in faith, there is bound to be anger. There is bound to be the feeling that the free society is once again threatened by dogma. I think the Church cannot evade the sharpness of this encounter.” ~Lesslie Newbigin (1909-1998), British theologian and missionary SERMON PASSAGE Romans 12:1-2 (NASB) 1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Colossians 2:6-8 (NASB) 1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have on your behalf and for those who are at Laodicea, and for all those who have not personally seen my face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument. 5 For even though I am absent in body, nevertheless I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good discipline and the stability of your faith in Christ. 6 Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. 8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. Ephesians 4:11-16 (NASB) 11 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. 14 As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.