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A new MP3 sermon from Audiobooks by Thomas Boston is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: 08 - Of God and His Perfections 3 Subtitle: Doctrines of Christianity Speaker: Thomas Boston Broadcaster: Audiobooks by Thomas Boston Event: Audiobook Date: 1/8/1800 Length: 58 min.
A new MP3 sermon from Audiobooks by Thomas Boston is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: 07 - Of God and His Perfections 2 Subtitle: Doctrines of Christianity Speaker: Thomas Boston Broadcaster: Audiobooks by Thomas Boston Event: Audiobook Date: 1/7/1800 Length: 57 min.
A new MP3 sermon from Audiobooks by Thomas Boston is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: 06 - Of God and His Perfections 1 Subtitle: Doctrines of Christianity Speaker: Thomas Boston Broadcaster: Audiobooks by Thomas Boston Event: Audiobook Date: 1/6/1800 Length: 41 min.
La Porta | Renungan Harian Katolik - Daily Meditation according to Catholic Church liturgy
Delivered by Ivan Kristianto from the Parish of Sydney City South in the Archdiocese of Sydney, Australia. Acts of the Apostles 25: 13-21; Rs psalm 103: 1-2.11-12.19-20ab; John 21: 15-19.OUR JUSTIFICATION FROM THE LORD The title for our meditation today is:Our Justification From The Lord. This expression: “Our justification from theLord” means an act of God that justifies and strengthens our dignity as sonsand daughters, which means separating us from the evil and worldly powers thatwant to keep us away from Him. The most obvious example is SaintPaul's trial before the rulers of the world on the basis of the faith that heprofessed and taught. Jesus Christ experienced the same when He was confrontedwith Pontius Pilate. It is there that the justification of God is so evident.It reveals in both words and deeds so that on the one hand stands the truth ofGod that confronts the truth of this world on the other. The outcome should beclear, namely the truth of God must break away from this world to return to itsowner, namely God himself. This is done through a death in this world, in orderto have a new life in the hereafter. Saint Paul's trial is related to theevangelization of the Early Church, while there is also a trial that Saint Peterexperienced when Jesus specifically "judged" him. The term Jesus "judged"is intended to put someone right and honest before God. Peter was interrogatedabout his sincerity, faith and commitment to follow Christ. Peter was famousfor talking without thinking, so he was often mistaken and misunderstood. With thattrial Peter could arrive at his commitment along with his appointment to becomethe leader of the Church. Justification through a court, whetherby an instrument of the state law enforcement or by God himself, must obey oneof the fundamental conditions which is objectivity. People's consciences,society and public opinion help to shape an objectivity. Whereas ifjustification comes only from one or two persons, who clearly oppose theconsciences of many people, it must be against the truth. The voice and will of God aremanifested through shared opinion in the Church facilitated by her leaders.Through words and deeds of the Church leaders, the justification of our faithand its implementation in life are achieved. For example, if you get absolutionin the sacrament of reconciliation through the ministry of the Church in thehands of the confessor, you are justified and you are in the guidance of thatjustification. God justifies us in this world through legitimate instruments,and one that is most important is the Church. Let's pray. In the name of theFather ... O most loving God, increase our courage and strength that we may beable to deal with various kinds of difficulties and evil influences, so we mayobtain Your justification and try to live it through words and deeds throughoutour lives. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit ... In thename of the Father ...
I think it is interesting that thischapter begins with a question by the priests, the scribes, and the elders.They asked Jesus by what authority did He cleanse the Temple and was teachingthe people. Then the chapter ends in these last verses with Jesus asking them aquestion. Whilethe priests, scribes, and elders were still gathered together, Jesus asked thema final question: "What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son isHe?" (Matt. 22:41-42, NKJV) This is the key question for everygeneration and each individual, for our salvation and eternal destiny aredependent on what we think about Christ and how we answer this question. (1John 2:21-25; 4:1-6; 5:1). Ofcourse, these religious leaders knew the expected reply: The Christ, theMessiah is "The Son of David." They based this on such verses as 2Samuel 7:13-14; Isaiah 11:1; and Jeremiah 23:5. God had ordained that theMessiah should come from the family of David and be born in David's city,Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Jesusthen referred them to Psalm 110, which is quoted in the New Testament more thanany other psalm. The Jewish religious leaders in that day identified Psalm 110as a prophetic psalm and said that David was speaking of the Messiah. But ifthe Messiah is David's Lord, how can He be David's son? The only explanation isthat Messiah must be both God and man. As eternal God, Messiah is David's Lord,but as man, He is David's son (Romans 1:3; 9:4-5; Acts 2:32-36; 13:22-23). OnPalm Sunday, the multitudes had acclaimed Jesus as the Son of David, and He hadnot rebuked them (Matt. 21:9; Mark 11:10). By applying Psalm 110:1 to Himself,Jesus claimed to be Israel's promised Messiah, the Son of God. Then why did thePharisees not believe in Him? Because their minds were made up, their heartswere hardened, and their eyes were blind (John 12:37-50). They did not have thecourage to confess the truth, and they persecuted those who did affirm faith inJesus Christ. And it was out of envy and jealousy that they delivered Jesus upto Pilate to be crucified (Matthew 27:18; Mark 15:10). Christ's questionsilenced His enemies (Matthew 22:46) and ended their public challenges, butthey would not admit defeat. Inthe last verses, 45-47, Jesus warned the people about the hypocrisy anddishonesty of the scribes and Pharisees (see Matthew 23). Men see the outside,but God sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7; Hebrews 4:12). These religious leadersdid not desire personal holiness; they wanted public recognition. Therefore,they wore special garments, expected special titles and greetings, and lookedfor special seats at public gatherings. Thereis a double tragedy here. First of all, their deliberate hypocrisy was only acover-up that enabled them to fool people and exploit them. Of all rackets,religious rackets are the worst. The religious leaders had turned the temple ofGod into a den of thieves and religious devotion into playacting. The generalpublic actually thought that their leaders were godly men, when in reality theywere defiling and destroying souls (Matt. 23:13-36). Thesecond tragedy is that they rejected their own Messiah and voted to crucifyHim. They led the nation into ruin because they would not admit their sins andconfess Jesus Christ. Keep in mind that these men were "experts" inthe Bible, yet they did not apply its truths to their own lives. Their religionwas a matter of external observance, not internal transformation. How sad it isthat we see so much the same in many of our churches and religious institutionstoday. Atthis point, according to Matthew (Matthew 23:37-39), Jesus once again uttered alamentation over the blind unbelief of the nation and their unwillingness totrust in Him. He had given them many opportunities, but they had wasted them.Now it was too late. Andone day it will be too late for us if we don't repent!
The Sadducees, a group ofJewish leaders who do not believe in angels, resurrection, or spirits pose a hypothetical question about a man who marries a woman and dies, andaccording to the law of Moses, his brother must marry her. Seven brothers endup marrying this woman, all die without children, and the Sadducees ask, inheaven, if there is a resurrection, which one of these men will she be marriedto? They think they have Jesus in a dilemma, but He answers them. InMatthew 22:29, Matthew records Jesus immediate response to their question. Jesussaid, "You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power ofGod." Jesus points out their ignorance of the Scriptures and the power ofGod. They only recognize the first five books of Moses, while Jesusacknowledges all 39 books of the Old Testament in the Septuagint (the Greek translationof the Old Testament available in the time of Jesus). Yet even from the Law ofMoses, Jesus affirms there is a resurrection. Asa young pastor, I sometimes preached at funerals, stood by the casket, andsaid, "This is just a body." I wish I could go back and tell thosedear people I was wrong. God created us individually, uniquely, with a body wewill live in for eternity. Your spirit, soul, and body are eternal in a sense.According to Scripture, such as Job 14:14; 19:25-27; Psalms 16:9-10; 17:15; Isaiah26:19; Ezekiel 37; and Daniel 12:2, the bodies of both the lost and the savedwill be resurrected one day. These bodies will either go to heaven or to aneternal lake of fire, where they will be tormented day and night forever. Jesusand the Bible teach this truth. My friend, Jesus believed that God has thepower to raise us from the dead. Inheaven, we will have glorified bodies, with no need for procreation. Regardingthe Sadducees' question about the seven brothers, I've always thought after thethird or fourth brother, I'd say, "I'm not marrying her; I'm not takingthe chance of dying like the rest!" When we question Scripture and try tofigure it out logically, we miss the point and like the Sadducees we will misinterpretand wrongly apply the Scripture to our lives. ButJesus went beyond logic and referred them to the Word of God, particularly whathappened to Moses as recorded in Exodus 3. There God identified Himself withAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and thus affirmed that these three patriarchs werevery much alive. But if they were alive, then they were "out of thebody," for they had died (James 2:26). There must be a real world ofspirit beings or Moses would not have written these words. (By the way, Mosesalso affirmed the existence of angels: Genesis 19:1, 15; 28:12; 32:1.) ButJesus is also basically saying that Exodus 3:6, 15-16 teaches not only thetruth of life after death but also the reality of the resurrection. In whatway? Not by direct statement but by inference. God is the God of the wholeperson—spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23), because He created thewhole person. He does not simply "save our souls" and ignore the restof our being. Inherent in the very nature of God's creative act is His concernfor the total person. Hence, He will not keep us disembodied spirits foreverbut will give us glorious bodies to match our heavenly perfection. ForGod's covenant promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to be fulfilled, they willneed resurrected bodies to rule and reign with Him in the millennial reign ofJesus Christ. We have something to look forward to. God knows our future. Ilove what Job says in Job chapter 19, verses 25-26: "For I know that myRedeemer lives, and He shall stand on the earth. And after my skin isdestroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God." Godis not the God of the dead, but of the living and He made us whole—soul,spirit, and body—and He knows how to take care of all of them. Godbless!
La Porta | Renungan Harian Katolik - Daily Meditation according to Catholic Church liturgy
Delivered by Ria from the Parish of Good Shepherd in the Diocese of Surabaya, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 20: 17-27; Rs psalm 68: 10-11.20-21; John 17: 1-11a.EMBRACE THE GLORY OF GOD The title for our meditation today is:Embrace The Glory Of God. Jesus has explained so much about the Holy Spirit whoteaches us everything about Him, including about the cross and suffering. If weas His followers love and accept the cross that the Lord has given us, we mustbe so loved and blessed by the Holy Spirit. For example, the Apostle Paul saidthat suffering and the cross had become his daily food. The Holy Spiritstrengthened and comforted him to accept it with pleasure, and he enjoyed it tothe end. To endure to the end with this cross, Jesus makes it the greatestchallenge for His followers. There are people who are ready for it like Paul,but there are more not yet or even not ready. So He prays for them so that theydo not need to worry about all kinds of suffering and the cross. Blessed are wefor the Lord Jesus Christ prays for us! His prayer for us and His promise ofthe Holy Spirit that helps us to carry our crosses, aim to make us always likethe cross, embrace it, and carry it. Before carrying the cross, we must embracefirst. That means we want, we like and we accept it. If we embrace something orsomeone, that means we love, also we are careful to keep it from falling. Wetry to make sure that the cross does not fall from us and can even move toanother person. This means we embrace the glory ofGod. The cross signifies victory and glory for us, which is achieved byovercoming error and sin. What does embracing God's glory mean? First, becauseJesus Himself reveals that glory to us, especially when He prays for us.Second, Jesus offers an abundance of blessings without limit and this describesreally the glory of God. The glory of the Lord refers to His abundant mercy andkindness. Third, by embracing the glory of Godthrough His cross, we are certain to know God personally. In principle, if wecan get to know someone about his situation that is most difficult, then wecome to know him deeply and personally. With the cross of Jesus, we can knowmany people who are suffering around us because of the various problems.Fourth, the glory of our Lord is also experienced through the fellowship oflove that endures to the end, precisely when love is expressed in serving thosewho suffer. The cross signifies the unity of Jesus Christ with the sinful andsuffering human beings. Let us prepare ourselves for the Solemnity of thePentecost by embracing the glory of God.Let's pray. In the name of theFather ... O Good and loving God, help us to always choose for Your glory inall our efforts and duties. May we faithfully carry our crosses in all times.Hail Mary full of grace ... In the name of the Father ...
May 28, 2025 Daily Devotion: "The Eternal Perspective"1 John 2:17 New Living Translation 17 And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. Have you ever felt as if you were missing something? Day after day your life slips by and you're certain there must be more. The surest way to live a joyless life is to live outside ofGod's will. Our hearts will never be at peace and our souls will never be satisfied until we're doing what we were created to do. It's easy to get caught up in what school to go to, what career to choose, and where to carry out our lives. Ultimately, none of the major life decisions we make will bring us joy if they're not made with God's will in mind. But what is God's will? We are to seek justice for the oppressed (Isaiah1:17). Christ followers, as a whole, should be known for kindness (Colossians 3:12). Humility should be evident in our lives (Numbers 12:3). We'll begin living joyfully when all of our life decisions are based upon God's will.
“11:27. And it came to pass, as he spoke these things, a certain womanfrom the crowd, lifting up her voice, said to him: Blessed is the wombthat bore thee and the paps that gave thee suck.11:28. But he said: Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word ofGod and keep it.”
La Porta | Renungan Harian Katolik - Daily Meditation according to Catholic Church liturgy
Delivered by Joanna from the Parish of Saint Gabriel in the Diocese of Bandung, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 16: 1-10; Rs psalm 100: 1-2.3.5; John 15: 18-21.THE OPPOSING SPIRITS The title for our meditation today is:The Opposing Spirits. We want to understand this meditation from two opposingdirections. From where the Lord Jesus Christ and all the components in Hismission stands, the opposing spirit is surely an evil spirit with Satan as thecommander. Whereas from where the opponent stands,that is the the spirit of this world and Satan as its commander, the opposingspirit is goodness and truth of Jesus Christ manifested through Hisself-sacrifice to save the world and mankind. The holy Church continues to bearthid goodness and truth till this day. The evil spirit had indeed been defeatedby Jesus but he always waits for the best time to conquer its target namelyhuman persons. Both the Holy Spirit and the evil spirit are againtst eachother. Which one is superior depends on the free will of every human person to choose. Let us show one example. I was calm inmy room. There were no disturbances of evil thoughts, strange intentions and evilacts. There was also at that moment the presence of an evil spirit who wasstill waiting for my unawareness or lost of self-control, then it would temptand conquer me. That's how our daily life goes. The most crucial moment we willface is when the conflict of interest comes, namely choosing between good orevil, right or wrong, humble and pride and so on. A very important point here is that asfollowers of Christ, we must be able to distinguish the opposing spirits, theopposing orientation of life. We must know and be aware of interests that arenot in line with Jesus Christ. Christ has prepared us to have the ability todistinguish. He commands us to keep to His word. The stronger sign of the power ofGod's Spirit is expressed in the words of the Lord Jesus, as He says, "Ihave chosen you from this world". We belong to Jesus. So we have theability to make sure that there is a spirit that is contrary to Jesus and we,His followers. This is also shown in the experience of the two apostles, Pauland Barnabas, while they were undergoing an extraordinary mission. Saints arealso our examples in making of this distinction. So there are many examples around us.Through advice, spiritual guidance, discipline and spiritual assistance, we arehelped to be able to distinguish the opposing spirits. We are getting closer tothe Solemnity of the Pentecost, so we should have in our hearts and minds alonging for the gift of the Holy Spirit to each one of us. Let's pray. In the name of the Father... Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us always with Your blessings, especiallywhen we are struggling and fighting against the interests of this world thatare contrary to You. You have won all the desires of this evil spirit and thewill of the world, so fill us with your Spirit. Our Father who art in heaven... In the name of the Father ...
Artificial intelligence has the potential to change human society. How will it change religious communities? Will it impact how we understand the nature of humanity? Of God? Of being itself?
La Porta | Renungan Harian Katolik - Daily Meditation according to Catholic Church liturgy
Delivered by Bella from the Parish of Kristus Raja in the Diocese of Surabaya, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 15: 7-21; Rs psalm 96: 1-2a.2b-3.10; John 15: 9-11.STAY ALWAYS IN MY LOVE Our meditation today is entitled: StayAlways in My Love. This is the sentence that comes from Jesus Himself when He presentsto us His real identity as the true vine. The purpose of staying with Him is tohave a life that can produce abundant fruits of joy, happiness and salvation. Perhaps it is not about motivation ofthe invitaton of Jesus and the promises he gives us. It is not a question ofwhether the invitation and assurance true or fake. It is irrelevant for exampleto question whether God will save us or not. It may not be the opportunity todecide not to fulfill the invitation, because we have been baptized and havepromised to follow Him for the rest of our lives. Instead of having many questions ordoubts, more precisely let be our duty to respond to His invitation and the promiseHe had laid on us with stedfastness of our faith that shows our acceptance. We showwillingness and interest to always being with our Lord. We long all the moreHis invitation when our way of life seems lost in the midst of the busy worldthat surrounds us. For those people who practice the true love of God, thisinvitation should be a very special bonus. For example, when a peaceful,harmonius and lovely family welcomes this invitation and the promise of truehappiness that is from the Lord, it certainly experiences the growth of truefaith in the Lord Jesus. On the other hand when a family or person who have notexperienced the true love that it should have, or perhaps they really have losthope for the absence of love at all, this invitation of Jesus must be a sign ofGod's initiative to bring them back to that love. They must not feel ashame, afraid or unworthybecause the One who invites and gives assurance is God himself. They must admitand believe that love is much stronger and it definitely overcomes shame, fear,unworthiness and lack of trust. The Love of the Lord can overcome prejudices,suspicions and discrimination based on the fact that each person or group isdifferent from one to another. On the basis of that love andespecially in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, for example, the apostles heldthe council in Jerusalem to strengthen the vision and mission of the one Churchthat originates and aims at Jesus Christ alone. They discussed, debated anddisputed on the differences laid among them and Gentiles. In the name of love,they made a reflection under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, then they came upto a decision that benefited the whole Church. The invitation of Jesus will continueto knock at our hearts: Stay in my love. We must not reject it! Let's pray. In the name of theFather ... Our good and loving God, may Your love guide our lives, and wehappily welcome the invitation of Jesus Your Son to always abide in His love.Amen. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit … In the nameof the Father ...
Here in Luke 19, Jesusis giving us this story of a rich man getting saved and making sure weunderstand what's impossible with men is possible with God. If you go back to Luke18, you might remember the rich young ruler who came running to Jesus and leftvery sorrowful. Jesus then made the statement, "How hard it is forthose who have riches to enter the kingdom of God." The rich man in Luke 18came running to Jesus, but this man, Zacchaeus, ran ahead of Jesus because hesought to see Him. He was small of stature and had to climb up into a sycamoretree. We go by a sycamore tree whenever we go to Jericho, visiting the HolyLand, and we always get out and take a picture right there in the middle of thecity of Jericho. They believe it's possible that this very tree is from theroots of the tree that Zacchaeus might have climbed up. I don't know, but it'salways great to see that tree and think of the story about Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus ran ahead,and my friend, I think about how it says Jesus came to the place where he was. Zacchaeusset himself in the place where God's grace would come by. My friend, I'm goingto tell you, you're more apt to find Jesus at church than you are in a bar orout doing some wicked, evil deed. When you put yourself in the place of God'sgrace, that's when God's grace will pass by you. This place is called humility.Zacchaeus humbled himself. Jesus said, "If you're going to become rich andenter the kingdom of God, blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is thekingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). You want to inherit heaven, you must humbleyourself and become like a beggar. So here's a rich manrunning ahead, putting himself in the place of God's grace. Jesus is going topass that way. How do you put yourself in the place of God's grace? I wouldencourage you, if you're struggling to find salvation, read the Gospel of John,study the Gospel of John, hang out with some believers who love Jesus Christ,talk to people who want to talk about the Lord, put yourself in the place ofGod's grace, get away from those who are leading you into sin and continuing toencourage you to sin. This man ran away, he humbles himself, he climbs in thetree, and I love it. It says, "When Jesus came to the place, he looked upand saw him and said to him, Zacchaeus, make haste and come down."Interestingly, Jesuslooked up. When we read the scriptures, God is looking down from heaven. Jesuswas in heaven, but one day, and he leftthe splendors of glory. “He who was rich became poor”. He became poor,and now he looks up to where Zacchaeus is. My friend, it is because Jesushumbled himself and became a man, became a servant, and became obedient even tothe death of the cross, that we can experience His grace of salvation (Philippians2:5-11). Then Jesus makes thestatement, "Salvation has come to this man's house today because he isa son of Abraham." There was evidence of Zacchaeus' salvation. Hegives half his goods to the poor. He didn't have to give that much back to thepoor, but he did. Why? Because when a man meets Jesus Christ and the grace ofGod comes into his life, everything changes. We become new creatures in ChristJesus. Old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians5:17). A son of Abraham means he is a “son of faith” (Romans 4:12; Galatians3:7). Today, will you putyourself in the way of God's grace? “Seek the Lord while He may be found. Callupon Him while He is near (Isaiah 55:6).
Today,we're looking at Luke chapter 18, specifically verses 35-43, the last verses ofthe chapter. Jesus began this chapter by teaching about prayer, that men oughtalways to pray and not to faint. He gave us several stories about prayer. Inthese last verses Jesus teaches us that the prayer that always turns the ear ofGod to see our need, and give us the miracle that we need, is the “desperate prayer”.Now, as Luke ends this chapter, he points out a certain man who was a beggarand blind, who came to Jesus. Inthis chapter, we've seen contrasts between different people and situations.Here, we see the contrast between this beggar who was blind and the rich manwho came to Jesus. Matthew's and Mark's gospels tell us there were two beggars,but in the Gospel of Luke, it appears Luke loves to point out how Jesus isinterested in the individual. It didn't matter if there were a hundred sheep;he's interested in one. If there are ten pieces of silver, there's one. Ifthere are two sons, there's one. If there are two beggars, here in Luke's Gospel,there's one. God is interested in you. He knows your need. He wants you to cryout to him. Ifthere's anything we learn about prayer in this chapter, it's that men oughtalways to pray. We're not to pray like the Pharisee, but we come desperately toJesus. The rich young ruler came, thought well of himself, and bragged abouthis goodness. This beggar wouldn't be quiet when he heard Jesus was passing by.He was desperate for his need to be healed and would cry out, even when peopletold him to be quiet. That's another thing you learn from this chapter: thewidow in the first verses of the chapter kept crying out, even though the judgewouldn't listen. The beggar, even though people told him to be quiet, cried outanyway. Ilove the contrast here, and we're encouraged to cry out in desperation. TheScripture says, "You shall seek me and find me when you have searchedfor me with all your heart." That's how you come to Jesus; that's howyou come in faith, believing. This man was blind and acknowledged it. He had nospecial merits to cry out and say, "Oh, I've been good; I've donethis." He had nothing. He came empty and went away rich. The rich man camevery rich and left eternally poor. Myfriend, there's so much we learn from this. I encourage you today: you mightfeel like you have nothing, no merits to come to Christ, or that you've lived alife that merits none of his grace. But you can come in your desperation. If Iknow and have learned one thing from my years of ministry it is that God hearsthe prayers of desperate people. Honestly, I don't know if we really pray untilwe get desperate. The fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much because wemeet Jesus where He is, and we cry out to Him. The"human stories” we have "read" in this chapter should also encourageus to put our faith in Jesus Christ, no matter what others may say or do. Thewidow was not discouraged by the indifferent attitude of the judge, nor thepublican by the hypocritical attitude of the Pharisee. The parents broughttheir little ones to Jesus in spite of the selfish attitude of the Apostles,and the blind men came to Jesus even though the crowd told them to keep quietand stay put. Jesus always responds to faith and rewards those who believe. Whata wonderful story to end this chapter. This poor blind beggar left rejoicing,and the people were praising God. Remember, the rich man left very sad andsorrowful. Don't leave that way, my friend. Come to Jesus, meet Him, have yourlife changed, and let Hm give you your sight. Jesusasked this blind man, "What do you want Me to do for you?"? Theman said, "Lord, that I may receive my sight." God made himpoint out his need, and Jesus met that need right where he was. I trust thatyou'll trust the Lord today to meet your need. Jesus is always ready to answerthe prayer of a desperate person!
22 So when Jesus heard thesethings, He said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell all that you haveand distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come,follow Me." 23 But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for hewas very rich. Today,we're looking at Luke chapter 18, verses 18-30, the story of the rich youngruler who comes to Jesus looking for salvation. In verse 17, Jesus had justmade the statement, "Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as alittle child will by no means enter it." You have to come to Jesuslike a child, totally dependent upon Him, hungry for Him and Him alone. In thevery first “Beatitude” Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, Fortheirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). This young ruler comes toJesus is an illustration of someone who will not enter the kingdom of heavenbecause of their pride, possessions, and their wrong views of Jesus, self, sin,and also basic dishonesty. Jesussays to this rich young ruler, "Keep the commandments", and Helists five of them: "Don't commit adultery, don't murder, don't steal,don't bear false witness, honor your father and mother." The manresponds, "I've done all these things since I was a youth." Hecalled Jesus "good Master," honoring the Lord with his lips, but hisheart was far from Him. He didn't truly believe Jesus is the Son of God,despite implying it by calling Him "good Master." He also had a wrongview of his own sin, claiming he'd kept all the commandments. Noticethat Jesus didn't quote the last commandment, "Thou shalt not covet."He tells the man, "Go sell everything you have, give to the poor, andfollow me." The man went away very sorrowful because he had greatriches. We see that this man had a problem with covetousness, and Jesus knowinghis heart deal with that by telling him to give his wealth away. What'simportant is that unless we come to Jesus with a heart like a child, willing inhumility to repent of our sin, our selfishness and our pride, we will notreceive the grace of God to be saved (Ephesians 2:8-9; James 4:6). This manthought he could get saved by what he did, asking, "What shall I do toinherit eternal life?" He wasn't looking at his heart or the need torepent of his sins. He felt he was a pretty good guy, keeping all thecommandments. Youdon't get to heaven by keeping the commandments. I've asked people over theyears, "Are you going to heaven? How do you know?" They'll say,"I do the best I can and try to keep the commandments." But myfriend, that doesn't take away our sin. Our problem is a sin problem, acovetous, selfish, prideful heart problem. “All have sinned and come shortof the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). We must come like a child, admit inhumility that we have sinned, turn from our sin, and trust Jesus. Scripturedoesn't teach that it's wrong to be wealthy. You can possess great wealth andbe a wonderful, loving Christian, making a major difference in the kingdom ofGod. But you can't let wealth possess you. Keep your focus on kingdom work, notpersonal gain. I'll never forget a wealthy friend who said, "I take careof God's business, and God takes care of my business." He was one of themost giving people I'd ever met. Keepyour focus on eternity, knowing we are sinners. The only way to heaven is torepent, turn from sin, and trust Jesus Christ as Savior. Go to the cross, wheresin was taken care of. Jesus died in our place, gave us the only parachute lefton the plane, and went down with it. But thank God, He rose again the thirdday. He's alive, and today He can save you if you come by faith to Him. Don'tbe like this rich young ruler who goes away “very sorrowful”. No, youcan live a happy, joyful, wonderful life in Christ when you give your heart toHim.
Todaywe're looking at Luke 18:1-8. Jesus is teaching a lesson on how men oughtalways to pray and not to faint. We are to pray without ceasing, and here Jesusgives us a story of contrast. There is a widow who has no standing with thecourt, going to an unjust judge, asking to be avenged of her adversary. In ourfirst lesson, I said this widow is like us in some ways, but that's beforewe're saved. We have no standing with God; we are lost, hopelessly andhelplessly lost. Butthe contrast begins when we realize what Jesus says at the end of this story: "Shallnot our Father in heaven, shall not our God avenge his own elect who cry untohim day and night?" He closes by saying, "Yes, he'll avengethem speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he really findfaith on earth?" Eventhough this widow is lost and helpless and can't find help unless she bribessomeone, which she has no money to do, the judge avenges her because she'sdriving him crazy with her screaming and yelling, "Help, help, help!"Jesus is basically saying to us, "Hey, you're not like that widow anylonger. You're a child of God, you are in the family of God, you have thepromises of God in the Bible." Godis a great and awesome God; He loves His children, protects His children, andcares for His children. In Romans 8, we can call Him Abba, Father, dearprecious Father. We can sit in His lap; He longs for us to come into Hispresence. “If God spared not His own Son, how much more freely through Himshall He give us all things” (Romans 8:32). The unjust judge did it becausehe got weary of this woman crying to him. God is teaching us to pray withoutceasing, but remember, you have a Father who is ready, willing, able, andpowerful to answer your prayers. ThenJesus closes this passage asking the question, "Shall He find faithwhen He comes?" In Luke 17, we see the story of Noah and the ark,where only eight people were saved. The gospel was preached, the message ofhope was preached for hundreds of years, and no one responded by faith to trustNoah's message and escape the judgment of God. Remember at Sodom and Gomorrah,only four people were saved from that destruction. Jesusis saying, "Shall the Son of Man, when He comes, find faith on theearth?" According to 2 Timothy 3:1-7, in the last days, it will beperilous times, evil, terrible times. People will be blasphemers, haters ofGod, and haters of Christians. It's not going to get better, my friend; it'sprobably going to get worse before Jesus comes again. ButHe's reminding us we have a heavenly Father. You don't need to bribe Him. He'sa God that doesn't have to be bribed; He has a willing heart. The Bible says “ifwe ask anything according to His will, we know that He hears us, and we canhave this confidence that whatever we ask of Him” (1 John 5:14-15). He will give it to us if it's according to Hiswill. “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires ofyour heart” (Psalm 37:4). Jesusis teaching us to pray in this passage with faith, believing we have a loving,kind, providing heavenly Father, Who, when we come to Him, will meet every needwe have. What an awesome God we have! Come to Him today in faith, believing. Weare not like the widow with no standing. Through Jesus Christ, we have fullaccess, and He is also our intercessor, making intercession for us (Hebrews7:25). We have the Holy Spirit making intercession according to the mind andwill of God (Romans 8:26-27). Thereis no reason we should not be crying out to our Heavenly Father day and night,"Oh God, we need help in this evil, wicked, cruel world. We need yourprotection, your grace, your strength." We can do that today. Let'sbe encouraged to pray always and not to quit. Our Heavenly Father is waitingfor us to come to Him! Godbless!
Closing remarks on an exposition of "Chapter 2: Of God and the Holy Trinity" of Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689).Free Grace Baptist Church, Chilliwack, BCPastors: Jim Butler, Cam Porter
Lukechapter 17:1 begins with, "Then He said to His disciples."Jesus is teaching His disciples some powerful lessons, first about forgiveness,faith, and obedience in these opening verses. But now, in verses 7 through 10,He's teaching a lesson about faithfulness. My friend, when you live a life offorgiveness, faith, and obedience, doing what you're supposed to do as abeliever, you will be faithful despite what's going on around you, and you'llbe faithful for the right reasons with the right motives. Thispassage of Scripture warns to beware of offenses, they're going to come. Thegreatest offenses that come to you and me don't come from the outside worldthat hates Jesus, hates us, and hates the gospel. No, the great and painfuloffenses come from those we go to the house of God with, those we worship with;another pastor, another believer, another co-worker. That offense happens andgoes deep into our hearts, sometimes from a family member who's abusive or sayssomething hurtful. Those are the offenses we have to deal with, and many times,they cause us to quit. We throw in the towel and say, "If that'sChristianity, I want none of it." So,the Lord has a powerful lesson in verses 7-10. Youknow, so often I find that many believers, because of their past sins andoffenses toward God, and the sense that when they realize God's forgiven them,they are grateful and thankful. But they do what I call religious compensation—theytry to pay God back for His goodness. My friend, you can never pay God back,and to serve trying to pay God back is not the right motive to serve the Lord.The main motive to serve the Lord is because you love Him. "If you loveMe, you will keep My commandments." The main purpose and motive inserving the Lord is to glorify Him. When you're doing everything, whatever youdo, you do it with all your might and to the glory of God. You don't do it toget a pat on the back. Somany believers, so many Christians, serve to be recognized by somebody else—bythe pastor, some leaders, or to work their way up in leadership and be somebodyimportant. My friend, those are the wrong motives in service. Jesus makes itreally clear because here is a servant who's serving, watching sheep, plowingin the fields. Jesus used those illustrations often because we are like sheep.We're shepherding sheep as pastors, ministers, and co-workers with the Lord.We're plowing fields, working in the fields, sowing in the fields, trying toreach the harvest fields for Christ. So He says, "You're working in thefields, and you come home—do you expect a pat on the back?" No, He says,"Sit down and make me a meal." JesusHimself set the great example. He said, "I didn't come to be served; Icame to serve and to give My life a ransom." He set the example. He becameobedient to death, obedient to the death of the cross. He made Himself aservant; He humbled Himself. Humility is involved here because if we're notcareful, as workers and co-laborers with God, with faith to cast mountains intothe sea, we might get proud, and God's going to have to bring us down somehow. So,Jesus is making it very clear here: serve with the right motives, serve for theglory of God, serve because you're simply being obedient. As you're living alife of forgiveness, handling those offenses that come, and living a life offaith, you will be faithful despite what's going on around you for the glory ofGod. Beencouraged today to be faithful. It's required in a steward that he be foundfaithful (1 Corinthians 4:2).
1. Of God's word.2. Of prayer.3. Of praise.4. Of the Gospel.5. The God of Amen.6. The great Amen.
Unashamed, Undeserved, Unstoppable Part 1: The Good News By Louie Marsh, 4-27-2025 Four quotes about the book of Romans, 10 Little Known Facts About Ancient Rome 1. Gladiator blood was recommended by Roman physicians to aid various ailments, including epilepsy and infertility. 2. Purple clothing was a status symbol and reserved only for emperors or senators. To achieve the color, a dye was made from murex seashells. It was treason for anyone other than the emperor to dress completely in purple. 3. Left-handed people were considered unlucky. The word “sinister” was originally the Latin adjective “sinister”/”sinistra”/”sinistrum” that meant “left” but took on the meanings of “evil” or “unlucky” by the Classical Latin era. 4. Emperor Caligula often appeared in public dressed in women's clothing. 5. In the first century B.C., the poet Gaius Valerius Catullus addressed two of his critics, another poet Furius and a senator Aurelius, in a poem considered so vulgar and obscene that it was not translated outside of Latin until the 20th century. 6. Romans thought the early Christians were practicing cannibalism when they heard about them eating bread and wine as symbolic representations of the body and blood of Christ. 7. People would socialize at communal toilets. Rome had over 140 public toilets. Video slide 8. While Romans were extremely hygienic, they did not use soap. Instead, to get clean they would apply perfumed oils to their skin and then scrape it off with a tool known as a strigil. 9. Not everyone wore togas. Only free-born Roman men were allowed to wear togas (as a sign of Roman citizenship), while Roman women wore stolas. 10. Urine (because of the ammonia it contains) was used to clean clothes. The urine was collected by fullones (the Ancient Roman version of dry cleaners) from around the city. 1) Why is the Gospel so important? · The Gospel comes from GOD 1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, Romans 1:1 (ESV) · The Gospel is proved by SCRIPTURE 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, Romans 1:2 (ESV) · The Gospel's Substance is JESUS CHRIST 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, Romans 1:3-4 (ESV) · The Gospel's purpose is OBEDIENCE BY FAITH. 5 through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith , Romans 1:5a (ESV) · The Gospel's scope is all NATIONS 5 the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, Romans 1:5b (ESV) · The Gospel's goal is to BELONG to Jesus 6 including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, Romans 1:6 (ESV) Slide: Summary: The good news of the Gospel is OF God, ABOUT Christ, ACCORDING to the Scriptures, FOR the nations, UNTO obedience of faith, FOR THE SAKE of the Name! 2) The Gospel Builds STRONG relationships. 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. 9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you 10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you— 12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles. Romans 1:8-13 (ESV) 3) The Gospel is a DEBT I owe the world 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. Romans 1:14-15 (ESV) Two ways to be in debt – borrow from you, or carry money to you from another person. That's our kind of debt. 16 For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Corinthians 9:16 (ESV) 4) The Gospel Reveals GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Romans 1:16-17 (ESV) · You get right with God by FAITH in Jesus Christ. Some stress God's righteousness is a divine attribute or quality. Others stress God's righteousness is a divine activity, his saving intervention on our behalf. Others say it's a divine achievement. It's what God has done for us in Christ. I say, yes to all that – it's all three. Therefore… Summary: The righteousness of God is God's righteous initiative in putting sinners right with himself by bestowing on them a righteousness which is not their own but his. The righteousness of God is God's just justification of the unjust, his righteous way of pronouncing the unrighteous righteous, in which he both demonstrates his righteousness and give righteousness to us. All done in and thru Jesus Christ. · The entire Christian life is lived BY FAITH.
Distracted By what Appear To Be GOOD or Of GOD.We're Not Home yet
Dr. Samuel Renihan presents a clear, biblical, and confessional overview of the doctrine of the Trinity—one God in three eternal subsistences: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He explains how the Second London Confession reflects both the unity and the distinctions within the Godhead, and why these distinctions are based on eternal relations of origin, not merely role or function. This session helps guard against errors such as tritheism or modalism, and instead reinforces historic orthodoxy. Listeners will come away with a better grasp of the biblical basis for the Trinity and why it matters for worship, salvation, and spiritual life. Key Scriptures: Matthew 28:19; John 1:1–3; 2 Corinthians 13:14 Speaker Bio: Dr. Samuel Renihan is pastor of Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, California. He holds an MDiv from Westminster Seminary California and a PhD from the Free University of Amsterdam. He is the author of The Mystery of Christ, Deity and Decree, and Crux, Mors, Inferi. About the Conference: Confessing the Faith promotes reverent teaching on the doctrine of God as expressed in the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession. Each year focuses on one chapter of the confession. Upcoming: Join us in April 2026 for Chapter 3 – Of God's Decree Details and registration: www.confessingthefaith.ca
In this doctrinally rich session, Dr. Samuel Renihan explains how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are truly distinct yet fully and equally God. Using a "5–4–3–2–1" framework, he explores eternal relations and personal properties: five notions, four relations, three properties, two processions, and one divine essence. This session clarifies how classical Trinitarian theology avoids both tritheism and modalism. Rather than being distinguished by role or rank, each person is identified by eternal origin—such as the Father's begetting of the Son and the Spirit's procession. Dr. Renihan carefully guides listeners through the biblical foundations and confessional categories that safeguard orthodoxy. While the content is technical, it is deeply important for anyone seeking to understand and articulate the mystery and majesty of the Triune God. Key Scriptures: John 15:26; Psalm 2:7; Matthew 3:16–17 Speaker Bio: Dr. Samuel Renihan is pastor of Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, California. He holds an MDiv from Westminster Seminary California and a PhD from the Free University of Amsterdam. He is the author of The Mystery of Christ, Deity and Decree, and Crux, Mors, Inferi. About the Conference: Confessing the Faith promotes reverent teaching on the doctrine of God as expressed in the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession. Each year focuses on one chapter of the confession. Upcoming: Join us in April 2026 for Chapter 3 – Of God's Decree Details and registration: www.confessingthefaith.ca
Moderator: Pastor Cam Porter In this extended Q&A panel, the speakers answer theological questions submitted by conference attendees. Topics include: – Can we grieve the Holy Spirit if God has no emotions? – How can we speak to children about sin and God's "sadness"? – What does it mean to say "God is wrath" or "God is love"? – How should we understand the covenant of redemption? – Can theology be done without metaphysics or natural theology? – How does God relate to time and eternity? – What did Calvin believe about the Son's aseity? – Is there such a thing as "bad" suffering in God's plan? – What are good introductory books on the Trinity? Speaker Bios: Dr. James Dolezal is professor of theology at Cairn University and visiting professor at International Reformed Baptist Seminary. Dr. Samuel Renihan is pastor of Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, California, and holds a PhD from the Free University of Amsterdam. Pastor Jim Butler has served Free Grace Baptist Church since 1997 and holds MDiv and ThM degrees from Whitefield Theological Seminary. About the Conference: Confessing the Faith promotes reverent teaching on the doctrine of God as expressed in the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession. Each year focuses on one chapter of the confession. Upcoming: Join us in April 2026 for Chapter 3 – Of God's Decree Details and registration: www.confessingthefaith.ca
In this opening message of the Confessing the Faith 2025 Conference, Dr. Samuel Renihan sets the theological foundation by introducing the doctrine of classical theism and its connection to confessional unity. Drawing from the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689), he shows how the historic church has confessed the nature of God with precision, humility, and care. Dr. Renihan challenges the church today to recover this clarity—rejecting novelty in our language about God and holding fast to the "pattern of sound words" that promotes lasting unity across generations and denominations. This session also lays out the broader purpose of the conference: equipping believers to joyfully confess the doctrine of God as revealed in Scripture and summarized in our confessional heritage. Key Scriptures: Jeremiah 31:34 – "They shall all know Me…" 2 Timothy 1:13–14 – "Hold fast the pattern of sound words…" Hebrews 13:7–9 – "Remember those… who have spoken the word of God to you…" Speaker Bio: Dr. Samuel Renihan is pastor of Trinity Reformed Baptist Church in La Mirada, California. He holds an MDiv from Westminster Seminary California and a PhD from the Free University of Amsterdam. He is the author of The Mystery of Christ, Deity and Decree, and Crux, Mors, Inferi. About the Conference: Confessing the Faith promotes reverent teaching on the doctrine of God as expressed in the 1689 Confession. Each year focuses on one chapter. Upcoming: Join us in April 2026 for Chapter 3 – Of God's Decree Details and registration: www.confessingthefaith.ca
In this foundational session, Dr. James Dolezal teaches on the doctrine of divine simplicity—the truth that God is not made of parts or composed of differing attributes. He explains how simplicity safeguards God's unity, independence, immutability, and perfection. Far from being an abstract philosophical idea, divine simplicity is vital to understanding the God of Scripture and worshiping Him rightly. Through careful biblical reasoning and historical confessional support, Dr. Dolezal shows how this doctrine undergirds all others. Without simplicity, the God we profess becomes subject to change, complexity, or contradiction. This message calls the church to recover this essential aspect of theology proper and to rest in the unchanging wholeness of our God. Key Scriptures: Deuteronomy 6:4 – "The Lord our God, the Lord is one." Exodus 3:14 – "I AM WHO I AM." James 1:17 – "The Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." Speaker Bio: Dr. James Dolezal is professor of theology at Cairn University and visiting professor at International Reformed Baptist Seminary. He is the author of God Without Parts and All That Is in God, and contributor to volumes like Divine Impassibility and Classical Theism. About the Conference: Confessing the Faith promotes reverent teaching on the doctrine of God as expressed in the 1689 Confession. Each year focuses on one chapter. Upcoming: Join us in April 2026 for Chapter 3 – Of God's Decree Details and registration: www.confessingthefaith.ca
In this session, Dr. James Dolezal teaches on the often misunderstood doctrine of divine impassibility—the truth that God does not undergo emotional change or suffering. While God is deeply relational and perfectly loving, He is not subject to mood swings, surprise, or reaction in the way creatures are. Dolezal walks through Scripture and the 1689 Confession to explain how impassibility safeguards God's immutability, sovereignty, and faithfulness. He demonstrates that this doctrine is not a cold abstraction, but a profound comfort: the God who saves does not change. This session challenges modern distortions of God's nature and helps restore a view of the Lord that is both high and holy. This message is especially helpful for pastors, teachers, and Christians seeking to recover the historic, biblical understanding of who God is and how He interacts with His creation. Key Scriptures: Malachi 3:6 – "For I am the Lord, I do not change." Numbers 23:19 – "God is not a man, that He should lie…" Job 35:6–7 – "If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against Him?" Speaker Bio: Dr. James Dolezal is professor of theology at Cairn University and visiting professor at International Reformed Baptist Seminary. He is the author of God Without Parts and All That Is in God, and contributor to Divine Impassibility and Classical Theism. About the Conference: Confessing the Faith promotes reverent teaching on the doctrine of God as expressed in the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession. Each year focuses on one chapter of the confession. Upcoming: Join us in April 2026 for Chapter 3 – Of God's Decree Details and registration: www.confessingthefaith.ca
In this session, Dr. James Dolezal explores two glorious attributes of God: His eternity and incomprehensibility. God is not bound by time, nor can He be fully grasped by finite minds. Yet He has truly revealed Himself to us in Scripture, not in totality, but truly and sufficiently. Dr. Dolezal shows how these truths, rather than discouraging pursuit of God, drive us to reverent worship and theological humility. They remind us that God is not like us—and that's precisely what makes Him worthy of our trust. If God could be fully comprehended, He would not be infinite. This message calls us to embrace the mystery of God, not as a gap in knowledge, but as a reason for awe. It also helps protect the church from shallow or overly rationalistic approaches to theology. Key Scriptures: Psalm 90:2 – "From everlasting to everlasting, You are God." Isaiah 40:28 – "The Creator... neither faints nor is weary." Romans 11:33 – "Oh, the depth of the riches... of God!" Speaker Bio: Dr. James Dolezal is professor of theology at Cairn University and visiting professor at International Reformed Baptist Seminary. He is the author of God Without Parts and All That Is in God. About the Conference: Confessing the Faith promotes reverent teaching on the doctrine of God as expressed in the 1689 Second London Baptist Confession. Each year focuses on one chapter of the confession. Upcoming: Join us in April 2026 for Chapter 3 – Of God's Decree Details and registration: www.confessingthefaith.ca
Today, we're finishing Luke chapter 15. In this chapter, Jesus tellsthree parables in response to the Pharisees who criticized Him for being afriend to tax collectors and sinners. The theme running through all threeparables is lost, found, and rejoicing. Keep that in mind. At this point in theparable, the scribes and Pharisees felt confident that they had escaped ourLord's judgment, for He had centered His attention on the publicans andsinners, pictured by the prodigal son. But Jesus continued the story andintroduced the elder brother, who is a clear illustration of the scribes andPharisees. The publicans and sinners were guilty of the obvious sins of theflesh, but the Pharisees and scribes were guilty of sins of the spirit (2 Cor.7:1). Their outward actions may have been blameless, but their inward attitudeswere abominable (see Matt. 23:25-28). We must admit that theelder brother had some virtues that are commendable. He worked hard and alwaysobeyed his father. He never brought disgrace either to the home or to thevillage, and apparently he had enough friends so that he could have planned anenjoyable party (Luke 15:29). He seems like a good solid citizen and, comparedto his younger brother, almost a saint. However, important asobedience and diligence are, they are not the only tests of character. Jesustaught that the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love others(Luke 10:25-28), but the elder brother broke both of these divine commandments.He did not love God (represented in the story by the father), and he did notlove his brother. The elder brother would not forgive his brother who wastedthe family inheritance and disgraced the family name. But neither would heforgive his father who had graciously forgiven the young man those very sins! When you examine thesins of the elder brother, you can easily understand why he pictures thescribes and Pharisees. To begin with, he was self-righteous. He openlyannounced the sins of his brother, but he could not see his own sins (see Luke18:9-14). The Pharisees defined sin primarily in terms of outward actions, notinward attitudes. They completely missed the message of the Sermon on the Mountand its emphasis on inward attitudes and holiness of heart (Matt. 5-7). My friend, the heart ofGod is for lost sinners to be found, and when they are, there is rejoicing.Jesus rejoices, heaven rejoices, angels rejoice, friends rejoice. But do youknow who wasn't rejoicing? The Pharisees. They were sanctimonious,self-righteous, proud, angry, bitter religious people. Their religion was builton good works, and they thought they were better than everyone else. Jesusnails them with this story. Jesus uses the story ofthe older brother to drive this home. My friend, we need to be aware of this.Our churches are full of people who work, work, work, serve, serve, serve, butit's often to be seen, to be commended, to get a pat on the back. Like thePharisees, they say, “I'm not like others. I tithe, I go to church, I do allthese good things.” But they miss the point. When the publican bowed his headand prayed, “I'm a lost sinner, have mercy on me, O God,” Jesus said he wenthome justified, not the proud Pharisee. Today, we don't want tobe like the Pharisees—critical, sanctimonious, self-righteous, proud, angry, orrefusing to rejoice when a sinner comes home to the Lord. This is a powerfulending to the chapter. Let's not forget the lost elder brother, who missed itall because his heart wasn't right with God or his father. I trust these threestories of lost, found, and rejoicing will resound in your soul. Keep an eyeout for those around you who need to be found, so you can bring them to Jesus. God bless!
One of the biggest disagreements between Baptists and Presbyterians is related to baptism, it's administration and what it means within the church. And these differences in practice are tied directly to differences in how God's Covenant and the covenants that He has made with men are understood. One primary difference that we want to concentrate on is that the Baptist view has more of an upward focus, looking at how each of God's covenants with man reveals or discovers the Eternal Covenant of Grace whereas the Presbyterian view is more downward focused with their description being that the Covenant of Grace has different administrations in the time of the law and the time of the gospel. Because of these different focuses, Baptists and Presbyterians see the effect of continuity and discontinuity very differently, with Baptists looking for those details to be expressed in physical vs spiritual typologies expressed as the earthly covenants with man reveal the heavenly Covenant of Grace (for example: circumcision of the flesh being fulfilled through circumcision of the heart, physical offspring pointing to spiritual offspring, physical households pointing to spiritual households, etc). Alternately, Presbyterians look for continuity and discontinuity within the earthly covenants. (physical households continuing, circumcision becoming baptism, etc).Most of the differences in this episode are found in Chapter 7 of both the Westminter and the Second London Baptist confessions of faith. In the Westminster, this chapter is titled, “Of God's Covenant with Man” and in the SLBC it is titled, “Of God's Covenant”Note: While we are focusing on real differences that we believe affect the church and doctrine in real ways, we are also grateful for the many areas of agreement that exist within the larger body of Christ. We also believe that it is through wrestling with God's word and doctrine with the guidance of the Holy Spirit that greater unity will come.Listen to the audio version here: https://theconqueringtruth.com/2025/04/covenant-theology-baptists-discovery-vs-presbyterians-administration-ep-215-audio/Timecodes00:00:00 Confessional Differences00:12:51 Purpose of Sacrificial System00:20:58 Abrahamic Covenant00:32:53 Sacrificial System00:52:53 What the Covenants RevealProduction of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NCPermanent Hosts - Dan Horn, Charles Churchill and Joshua HornTechnical Director - Timothy KaiserTheme Music - Gabriel Hudelson
One of the biggest disagreements between Baptists and Presbyterians is related to baptism, it's administration and what it means within the church. And these differences in practice are tied directly to differences in how God's Covenant and the covenants that He has made with men are understood. One primary difference that we want to concentrate on is that the Baptist view has more of an upward focus, looking at how each of God's covenants with man reveals or discovers the Eternal Covenant of Grace whereas the Presbyterian view is more downward focused with their description being that the Covenant of Grace has different administrations in the time of the law and the time of the gospel. Because of these different focuses, Baptists and Presbyterians see the effect of continuity and discontinuity very differently, with Baptists looking for those details to be expressed in physical vs spiritual typologies expressed as the earthly covenants with man reveal the heavenly Covenant of Grace (for example: circumcision of the flesh being fulfilled through circumcision of the heart, physical offspring pointing to spiritual offspring, physical households pointing to spiritual households, etc). Alternately, Presbyterians look for continuity and discontinuity within the earthly covenants. (physical households continuing, circumcision becoming baptism, etc).Most of the differences in this episode are found in Chapter 7 of both the Westminter and the Second London Baptist confessions of faith. In the Westminster, this chapter is titled, "Of God's Covenant with Man" and in the SLBC it is titled, "Of God's Covenant"Note: While we are focusing on real dif
In this 'EPISODE 409 GOOD NEWS JESUS IS COMING! WILL HE COME SOON IN OUR TIME? WHAT DOES THE BIBLE PREDICT ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE MIDDLE EAST? WHERE DOES IT MENTION THE KINGDOM OF GOD?' author and host Elbert Hardy of itellwhy.com, shows us scriptures from the Old Testament and New Testament that give us guidelines about the hour of his coming.Go to itellwhy.com to read Elbert's books free of charge, no Ads and no requests for money or Email addresses. You can watch faith building YouTube Links to Videos and the listen to Elbert's Life of Christ Audio Book in 30 minute Episodes arranged and read by the author straight from the Bible, but rearranged in logical harmony of the Gospels, Revelation and other scriptures. All FREE of charge in the public interest.
As Jesus journeys toward Jerusalem, He enters a synagogue in Perea,teaching on the Sabbath as was His custom. There, He encounters a womancrippled for eighteen years, bent double by a spirit of infirmity. This momentbecomes more than a healing, it's a lesson in freedom, compassion, and theclash between God's heart and human tradition. Youcan imagine the scene. Jesus is preaching when He notices this woman, bowedover, unable to straighten herself. For eighteen years, she'd endured thisaffliction—likely caused by Satan, as Jesus later reveals. Yet, she's faithful,present in the synagogue week after week, seeking God despite her pain. Jesus,ever sensitive to need, calls her forward. It might have seemed harsh to exposeher publicly, but He has a purpose—to defeat Satan, free her, and teach atruth. With a word, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity,” and atouch of His hands, she stands straight, glorifying God. The synagogue eruptsin awe, except for one voice. Theruler of the synagogue, indignant, scolds the crowd: “There are six days towork; come and be healed then, not on the Sabbath!” Too cowardly toconfront Jesus directly, he masks his anger in tradition. His outburst isalmost laughable, did he think healings were routine? Could he have freed herhimself? His bondage to rules was worse than hers to Satan; her body was bent,but his heart and mind were shackled. Jesus calls him out: “You hypocrite!Don't you loose your ox or donkey on the Sabbath to water it? Shouldn't thiswoman, a daughter of Abraham, bound by Satan for eighteen years, be loosed onthis day?” The argument is simple yet profound: if mercy is shown toanimals, how much more to a person made in God's image? Thiswasn't random timing. Jesus chose the Sabbath deliberately, repeating “loose”to drive home the lesson—freedom is His gift, not tradition's prisoner. Thewoman, a “daughter of Abraham,” likely had faith, marking her as one ofGod's own. Her healing wasn't just physical; it mirrored spiritual liberation.Sin, sorrow, and suffering bow us down (Psalm 38:6; 42:5), but Christ lifts usup. Satan oppresses, sometimes for years, even believers (think of Paul's thornin 2 Corinthians 12), but Jesus' power is greater (John 10:10). Not everysickness is demonic (Luke 6:17-19), but when it is, Jesus can break itinstantly. Theruler's reaction reveals a deeper issue. He saw the Sabbath as a checklist, nota gift of rest (Matthew 11:28-30). Tradition became his excuse to avoidcompassion. Jesus exposes this hypocrisy, shaming His critics into silencewhile the crowd rejoices at His “glorious things.” The synagogue ruler'spetty clock told yesterday's time, blind to the new era Jesus brought (Luke12:56). This was no violation; it was God's work, fitting for the Sabbath. Whatdoes this mean for us today? Jesus still calls the bowed-down—those crippled bysin or grief—to come to Him. He offers freedom, not just from physical chainsbut from spiritual ones, often before we even ask. Yet, like the ruler, we cancling to rules or routines that block mercy. The Sabbath here isn't aboutlegalism but heart-rest through grace. When we see suffering, do we respondwith Christ's compassion or hide behind excuses? His adversaries were ashamed;His followers rejoiced. Which side are we on? ClosingChallengeThisweek, look for someone “bowed down”—physically, emotionally, or spiritually.Don't let tradition or busyness stop you; take one step to “loose” them withkindness—a call, a helping hand, or a prayer. Reflect: Are you free in Christ,or bound by your own rules? Act in His mercy today. PrayerLordJesus, thank You for seeing us in our infirmities and calling us to freedom.Forgive us when we prioritize tradition over compassion, like the synagogueruler. Loose us from sin, sorrow, and self-made chains, and help us lift othersas You do. May we rejoice in Your glorious works, living out Your grace thisweek. In Your name, Amen.
SUNDAY COURSES | Westminster Confession of Faith 7: Of God's Covenant with Man
Pastor David teaches from Mark 12 on love FROM God, love FOR God, and the love OF God.
I believe I remember A.W. Tozer writing about how we live inthe age of a humanistic Christianity. Which means it is all about me! What Godand others can do for me. Instead of what I can do for Christ and others. The sad truth isthat we have raised a generation of irresponsible, disrespectful people becausethey think it is all about them. “Have your own way”. “Do it your way”. “Whatdo you want to do”. “Follow your heart”. These are all indications of a humanisticheart and philosophy of life. It appears that today most Christians have alsogot caught up in this stream of materialism in America. Someone said it sowell, “We live in the day of rat race! We buy things we don't need, with moneywe don't have, to impress people we don't even like”. The Gospels are full of verses where Jesus deals with thesubject of money, greed, and covetousness. In His first recorded message in Matthew6:19-21, Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, wheremoth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up foryourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and wherethieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heartwill be also.” Do you want to know where your heart really is? Look in yourcheck book, look in your credit card statements. See what you spend your moneyand time on, who and what you give your money to. Jesus basically spends the rest of this chapter dealingwith the subject of covetousness and how to avoid this sin of idolatry that hasdestroyed so many families and lives. First, we need to realize that this sinof covetousness is something that comes from within the heart. Notice whatJesus said this certain rich man did. “He thought within himself…”. He didn't get his friends and neighbors aroundhim and get upon a soap box and proclaim publicly to everyone, “Look at me! I havespent my life working very hard and now am a very wealthy man.” Jesus also said this man was a fool, not because he wasrich, but because he didn't realize the brevity of his life. The very night he thathe thought about what he would do with his wealth, he died and left his hard-earnedmoney and wealth to others, who would probably waste it. Solomon spoke aboutthis in Ecclesiastes 2:15-20. The rich man also revealed his heart by what he said. “Hethought within himself, saying…”. You can't help but notice all the I's and “My's”.“What shall I do, since I have no room to store mycrops?' So he said, 'I will do this: I will pull down my barnsand build greater, and there I will store all my crops and mygoods. And I will say to my soul, "Soul, you havemany goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and bemerry." It is obvious that his heart was all about himself and whathe wanted. This is the essence of humanism and the sin of idolatry! The truthis, it is not about making a living, it is about learning how to live. We shouldn'twonder why our children are so materialistic, when we teach them that they mustget a “good education” so that they can make a good living. And we fail toteach them to live for the eternal. Colossians 3:1-7 is a great reminder of the importance of livingfor the eternal things of God: “If then you were raised with Christ, seekthose things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand ofGod. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.... When Christ who is our lifeappears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore put to deathyour members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evildesire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things thewrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselvesonce walked when you lived in them.” Idolatry is the worship of anything that gets between youand God. May God help us not to be a fool like the rich man in this story. God bless!
This Postmodern Realities episode is a conversation with JOURNAL author Doug Groothuis about his article, “Why Read Books?.”This is also part of Doug's ongoing “Cultural Critique Column”. https://www.equip.org/articles/why-read-books//Related articles and podcasts by this author:Episode 424 Of God and Dogs, With Constant Reference to Sunny“Of God and Dogs, With Constant Reference to Sunny“Episode 416: The Art of Bracketing in Apologetics: Switching Ground Without Losing GroundThe Art of Bracketing in Apologetics: Switching Ground Without Losing GroundEpisode 401 How Truth WorksHow Truth WorksEpisode 393: Refuting The View: Religion Is A Myth, But Science Is The TruthRefuting The View: Religion Is A Myth, But Science Is The TruthEpisode 378 New Culture Critique Column: The Christian Self for Troubled Times and Meaning, Work, and the Value of PersonsThe Christian Self for Troubled Times: From Random to RedeemedAnd many more, Dr. Groothuis has written articles for us for over 30 years. Don't miss an episode; please subscribe to the Postmodern Realities podcast wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Please help spread the word about Postmodern Realities by giving us a rating and review when you subscribe to the podcast. The more ratings and reviews we have, the more new listeners can discover our content.
CHAP. VII.—Of God's Covenant with Man.I. THE distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto Him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of Him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which He hath been pleased to express by way of covenant (Isa. 40:13-17; Job 9:32-33; 1 Sam. 2:25; Ps. 113:5-6; 100:2-3; Job 22:2-3; 35:7-8; Luke 17:10; Acts 17:24-25).II. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works (Gal. 3:12), wherein life was promised to Adam; and in him to his posterity (Rom. 10:5; 5:12-20), upon condition of perfect and personal obedience (Gen. 2:17; Gal. 3:10).III. Man, by his fall, having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second (Gal. 3:21; Rom. 8:3; 3:20-21; Gen. 3:15; Isa. 42:6), commonly called the covenant of grace; wherein He freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ; requiring of them faith in Him, that they may be saved (Mark 16:15-16; John 3:16; Rom. 10:6, 9; Gal. 3:11), and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto life His Holy Spirit, to make them willing, and able to believe (Ezek. 36:26-27; John 6:44-45)IV. This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in Scripture by the name of a testament, in reference to the death of Jesus Christ the Testator, and to the everlasting inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein bequeathed (Heb. 9:15-17; 7:22; Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25).V. This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the gospel (2 Cor. 3:6-9): under the law it was administered by promise
Fear God not man! First, we need understand thatGod created us as emotional creatures which is an aspect of being created inthe image of God. God has emotions! One of the most powerful and motivatingemotions we have is fear. There is a good benefit about fear, and there is abad aspect about fear. The good thing about fear is that it warns us of impendingdanger so we can prepare for it. I should fear getting to close to the edge ofthe cliff, getting in deep water if I can't swim, jumping out of a plane with afaulty parachute, or someone threatening to kill me with a gun. I get verymotivated to response in a proper way. But there is a fear that is not good.That is why the phrase, “Do not fear” or “do not be afraid” appears several hundredtimes in the Bible. There is a fear that paralyzes us or keeps us from doingthe right thing. There is a fear that indicates that we are not trusting Godfor His presence, protection, or His provision. In this passage in Luke 12, it first appears that the Lordmight be teaching us and addressing fear as one of the basic causes of hypocrisy.You might notice that Jesus mentioned "fear" five times in theseverses. When we are afraid of what others may think or say about us, then wetry to impress them in order to gain their approval. If necessary, we will even lie to accomplish our purposes,and this is hypocrisy. We often get caught up in the moment and follow a crowdto do evil, so we don't get ridiculed for being different or being a religiousnut. We also might fear what the crowd or our enemies could do tous physically, to our body, if we don't compromise our faith and say what theywant to hear or do what they are demanding. It is very possible that this iswhat the Lord is referring to in these verses. For sure the Pharisees weremotivated to be hypocrites because they were more concerned about theirreputation rather than their character, what people thought about them ratherthan what God knew about them. If we are not careful, we easily fall into thesame trap. A good verse to remember when we face this temptation is Proverbs29:25: “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shallbe safe.” The remedy for hypocrisy is to forget about what people maysay or do and fear God alone. The fear of God is the fear that conquers allother fears, for the person who truly fears God need fear nothing else. Allthat men can do is kill the body, but God can condemn the soul! Since He is thefinal Judge, and He judges for eternity, it is logical that we put the fear ofGod ahead of everything else. We also need to remember that the body is only temporary,but the soul is eternal. And that eternity is more important than time. In verses 6-7, Jesus also gives us the answer to what mightbe our greatest fear, and that is, that God really doesn't care about us. Jesusassures us God's amazing love and care. “Are not five sparrows sold for twocopper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God (v. 6). Godsees a sparrow fall from the sky and attends it in its hour of death. Mosestells us that God actually counts how many eggs a bird has in its nest (Deut.22:6-7). Coming closer to home, God “numbers the hairs on our head”. Goddoes not merely count them; He numbers them. The Greek word for “number” isarithmeo (from whence comes our word arithmetic). The word means that God notonly counts our hairs (a virtually impossible task) but He also labels them. Think of it! God actually knows each separate individualhair on our head as separate and distinct from every other hair. That's ourGod! If He is that concerned about us, we must trust Him even when persecution orthe temptation to compromise comes. We have a God who loves us with aneverlasting love. Jesus by His own life, death and resurrection teaches usthat we can always trust God God bless!
In previous episodes, we saw that no one in the Bible - notJesus, not Moses, not Isaiah or any other prophet, not Peter, not Paul or any other apostle – no one proclaimed or described that God is three in one. Rather, we saw specifically that God is the Father alone, the God of our Lord Jesus Christ. We looked at Paul's description of God and the Lord Jesus Christ in Ephesians 1.To Paul, God is not the Trinity, but the Father alone. And, Paul says the LordJesus Christ has a God. The Lord Jesus Christ's God is the Father. The LordJesus Christ is not God since he has a God and Jesus is someone other than God.Previous episodes:If the Bible is Right, God is NOT a Trinity (Part 1) https://youtu.be/S1-qBYVrkdUIf the Bible is Right, God is NOT a Trinity (Part 2) https://youtu.be/2x81JF9sKqc It is simple reading comprehension. When reading the Bible, nowhere is God a Triune being. I want to make one more simple reading example in the Bible where, in this case, we will see if the Apostle Peter believed that God was a Trinity, or that the Lord Jesus Christ was God. Through simple reading comprehension, we will be able understand that the Apostle Peter's God was not the Trinity, and the Lord Jesus Christ was not Peter's God. Peter DID NOT declare that “God is a Trinity”. Peter DID NOT declare that one must believe that God is a Trinity. Peter DID declare that someone else other than the Lord Jesus Christ is God, that is, that the Lord Jesus Christ is not God. Peter DID declare that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. We look at a couple of corroborating statements from Peter in the Gospels and one of his epistles, but focus on Peter's Pentecost sermon in Acts Chapter 2. Acts 2:2224"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with powerful deeds, wonders, and miraculous signs that God performed among you throughhim, just as you yourselves know– 23this man, who was handed over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge ofGod, you executed by nailing him to a cross at the hands of Gentiles. 24 But God raised him up… In this text, is God triune? Is Jesus God? Acts 2:30-33“So then, because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 31 David by foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was neither abandonedto Hades, nor did his body experience decay. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and we are all witnesses of it. 33 So then, exalted to the right hand of God, and having received the promise of the holy spirit from the Father, he has poured out what you both see and hear.” Acts 2:36Therefore let all the house of Israel know beyond a doubt that God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both Lord and Christ." Mark 8:29, He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ." Luke 9:20, Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered, "The Christ of God." Matt. 16:16, Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ,the Son of the living God." (Mat 16:16 NET) 1 Peter 1:3, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he gave us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1 Peter 20-21He (Christ) was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you now trust in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Peter never describes God as being triune, and never declares that Jesus is God. If the Bible is right, God is not a Trinity.If Peter is right, God is not a Trinity.If your God is the Trinity, you have a different God than Peter.
We are looking at the passage here in Luke 11:1-13 wherethe Lord is teaching His disciples to pray. They had just heard the Lordpraying and they were prompted to ask Him to teach them to pray. I believe oneof the places you will be encouraged to pray is in a prayer meeting when youhear someone else really pray. Many people say prayers but ever now and thenyou get in the presence of someone who prays. Their prayer takes you into thethrone room in heaven and you smell the fragrance and sense the presence of theFather. That should be our desire, like the disciples, to pray like that! Topray God's kingdom and will down from heaven to earth! The second petition in the prayer concerns just that! “Yourwill be done on earth as it is in heaven”. From the Scriptures we canbelieve that God the Father's will is completely and perfectly fulfilled inheaven. There is no bad in heaven only good. There is no sin in heaven. Every attributeof God, His grace, goodness, mercy, justice, kindness, holiness, righteousness andlove is there! Heaven is a perfectly wonderful place! We have the opportunity to get a taste of that kingdom in heavenhere on earth when we are walking in surrender and submission to the will ofGod. And we have the privilege and responsibility to bring the fulfillment ofthat kingdom to earth when we pray for God's will to be done on earth. Justlike we pray, “Your kingdom come”, we also pray, “Your will be done”. We desirefor God's will to be fulfilled and complete here on earth just as it is inheaven. What is the will of God? Now the Scriptures talk much aboutthe will of God. We don't have to guess and speculate what the will of God is! Weknow it is God's will for people to be saved! 1 Timothy 2:3-4 makes this veryclear: “whodesires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”. Peteralso reminds us of this truth about God's will in 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is... not willing that any should perish but that all should come torepentance.” You don't have to be a rocket scientist to figure this out!God's will is for you to be saved. God's will is for your family and friends tobe saved. God's will is for everyone on the earth to hear of His greatsalvation through His Son Jesus Christ. Psalm 96:2-3: “Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. DeclareHis glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.” The “will of God” is the mind, heart, desire and passion ofGod. He has predetermined and planned that His purpose for mankind is for them,by faith experience His great salvation through the redemptive blood and cross ofHis dear Son. It is God's will and plan for us to also participate in sharingHis glory with everyone. Ephesians 2:8-10 puts this together beautifully! “For we are Hisworkmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God preparedbeforehand that we should walk in them.” God's will is, not only that we are saved, but that we, asa beautiful masterpiece of His art, display through “good works” His love,grace, mercy, kindness, joy, peace and holiness to the world around us! Webecome like the “Good Neighbor” that Jesus talked about in Luke 10. In Ephesians5:15-20 we read this admonition: Thereforedo not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. It is the will of God that we are set apart for His holypurposes (1 Thessalonians 4:3). When this takes place in our heart and lives, youdon't have to figure out the will of God is for your life, “you are the will ofGod” on earth as if already in heaven! God bless!
Sex is like fire; in the fireplace it keeps us warm. Outside the fireplace it burns the house down. The Bible is not silent or shy about sex, portraying it as a sacred gift meant to be enjoyed exclusively within the covenant of marriage. Using vivid imagery, the chapter warns against the dangers of sexual immorality, comparing it to honey that turns bitter and ultimately leads to destruction. The passage emphasizes that God's design—one man and one woman in a lifelong, faithful union—not only fosters personal and spiritual well-being but also protects against the destructive consequences of promiscuity, including emotional, physical, and spiritual harm. Wisdom calls believers to treasure intimacy within marriage and resist temptations that appear sweet but lead to ruin. The wise father uses the imagery of springs and streams being "scattered abroad" representing the wastefulness of indulging in relationships outside ofGod's design. The text also highlights the deceitfulness of sin, urging us to stay far from temptation, whether in the form of adultery, pornography, or emotional infidelity. The consequences of ignoring these warnings are severe—lost honor, wasted years, broken relationships, and spiritual emptiness. However, the passage also points to the beauty of a healthy, God-honoring marriage, where love, passion, and delight are celebrated as blessings from God. Sin's consequences are real, but God's grace is greater. Jesus is a friend to the sexually broken. He offers forgiveness and restoration to those who turn to Him, no matter how far they have strayed. Like the prodigal son who returns to his father, those who repent will find a God who runs to meet them with mercy and compassion. We are being called to something higher - to reject the deceit of sexual sin, embrace God's design for sexuality, and experience the fullness of His blessing in a life aligned with His wisdom.
Every decision we make with regards to concealed carry is a compromise: concealability, comfort, shootability, convenience. Then there are legal and ethical questions. All these factors must be accounted for. What compromises you are willing to make and how do you handle those decisions? Armed Lutheran Radio is a listener-supported podcast. If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, The Reformation Gun Club! http://gunclub.armedlutheran.us Links of Interest Episode 43 – Of God and Gun Free Zones Prayer of the Week Almighty and everlasting God, mercifully look upon our infirmities and in all our dangers and necessities stretch forth Your hand to help and defend us; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Get in Touch Visit our Feedback Page - http://www.armedlutheran.us/feedback Please tell your friends about us, leave an iTunes review, and like us on Facebook Join our Facebook group - http://www.armedlutheran.us/facebook Subscribe to us and follow us on Youtube - http://www.armedlutheran.us/youtube Check Out More at our Website- http://www.armedlutheran.us Use these Links to Support Armed Lutheran Radio If you value the information and entertainment we provide, consider supporting the show by joining our membership site, or shopping at your favorite online stores using the links below. Check out the other Great Armed Lutheran Books - http://www.ArmedLutheran.us/Books Shop at Amazon* - http://www.armedlutheran.us/amazon Armed Citizens Legal Defense Network - https://www.armedcitizensnetwork.org Disclaimer The links above which are indicated with an asterisk (*) are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that I have experience with all of these items, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money on these products unless you feel you need them or that they will help you. Original Music by Reformer. Keep Shooting, Keep Praying, We'll Talk to you Next time!
In Proverbs 4, the focus shifts from warnings to encouragement, emphasizing actions that lead to flourishing in life. This chapter reflects the wisdom of a father passing down vital lessons to his sons, which he learned from his father. The passage highlights the importance of pursuing wisdom as the key to living a meaningful and abundant life, aligning with Jesus' promise in John 10:10. True abundance comes not from worldly pursuits but from a life lived in and for Christ. Scottish minister Thomas Chalmers insightfully noted that real change happens when we see Christ as the source of true life, outshining even the most enticing sins. We will delve into the four stages of life: identity, growth, impact, and legacy, each posing unique challenges and opportunities to root oneself in Christ. Identity requires overcoming insecurities by embracing who God created us to be. Growth involves defining success through sanctification rather than worldly measures, while impact focuses on servant leadership amidst growing responsibilities. Legacy calls for finishing well, leaving a lasting testimony ofGod's faithfulness. Above all, our text urges the pursuit of wisdom, which requires humility and the abandonment of preconceived notions shaped by cultural pressures. A life guided by wisdom is likened to a bright, growing light, while rejecting wisdom leads to blindness and destruction. To remain on the path of wisdom, we must protect the heart, the source of life. Practical steps include meditating on God's Word, being mindful of influences, speaking truth, fostering Godly relationships, controlling thoughts, praying for protection, and pursuing purity. The passage concludes with vivid metaphors contrasting the righteous path of light with the wicked path of darkness, underscoring the importance of vigilance in navigating life's journey. We must never forget that life does not flow from the outside in, it flows from the inside out. Guard your heart!
You're listening to the Two Rivers PCA church podcast. We are a family of faith gathering around God's redeeming love, growing in the grace of Jesus Christ, and going to serve our neighbors.For more information, visit us at tworiverspca.org.
In this week's sermon, we draw a contrast between Proverbs chapters 2 and 3. While chapter 2 issues a warning to avoid the path of the wicked, chapter 3 takes a positive approach, teaching how to live a life of shalom—marked by peace, success, and refreshment. Solomon's fatherly counsel begins with the words "my son" and links wisdom with tangible blessings, urging us to guard our hearts against cultural ideologies, such as the popular mantra "live your truth," which opposes the biblical foundation of truth found in Jesus Christ. Solomon emphasizes the need to reject worldly loves and instead pursue the steadfast love and faithfulness of God. This provides lasting contentment within us and visible expressions of God's character through us. True Shalom arises from aligning one's life with God's wisdom rather than worldly voices or self-reliance. Proverbs 3:5-6 reminds believers to trust fully in the Lord and avoid leaning on personal understanding. Trusting in God is described with imagery of throwing oneself entirely into His care. This is foundational to living a life that flourishes under His guidance. The wise man challenges his listeners to examine their worldview, urging them to live out biblical truths boldly and to take risks for God, demonstrating faith in action that defies worldly logic. Such trust, coupled with reverence and acknowledgment ofGod, leads to a life of spiritual freedom and fulfillment. Finally, our text highlights the consequences of ignoring God's wisdom. King David comes to mind. His sins caused physical and emotional torment until he confessed and received God's forgiveness. Proverbs 3:7-8 and Psalm 32 illustrate the transformative power of humility and dependence on God, which bring healing and refreshment. We are left with a simple yet profound application: fear God, turn from evil and embrace His design for your life. This response to God's wisdom leads to a life of eternal significance and the peace believers truly desire.
This Postmodern Realities episode is a conversation with JOURNAL author Douglas Groothuis about his online article entitled, “Of God and Dogs, With Constant Reference to Sunny“ https://www.equip.org/articles/of-god-and-dogs-with-constant-reference-to-sunny/This is also part of Doug's ongoing “Cultural Critique Column”. Related Articles and Podcasts: Episode 252 Meditation Upon the Death of a PetMeditation Upon the Death of a PetRelated Articles and Podcasts by this author: Episode 416: The Art of Bracketing in Apologetics: Switching Ground Without Losing GroundThe Art of Bracketing in Apologetics: Switching Ground Without Losing GroundEpisode 401 How Truth WorksHow Truth WorksEpisode 393: Refuting The View: Religion Is A Myth, But Science Is The TruthRefuting The View: Religion Is A Myth, But Science Is The TruthEpisode 378 New Culture Critique Column: The Christian Self for Troubled Times and Meaning, Work, and the Value of PersonsThe Christian Self for Troubled Times: From Random to RedeemedAnd many more, Dr. Groothuis has written articles for us for over 30 years. Don't miss an episode; please subscribe to the Postmodern Realities podcast wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Please help spread the word about Postmodern Realities by giving us a rating and review when you subscribe to the podcast. The more ratings and reviews we have, the more new listeners can discover our content.
This Sunday's Advent theme explores the concept of joy as presented in the great birth announcement given by angels. Joy, unlike happiness, is not based on favorable life events but rooted in a relationship with Jesus. Biblical joy persists through all circumstances, anchored in the character and promises ofGod. This is why the angels' announcement of Jesus' birth in Luke 2 was such a momentous declaration of "great joy" for all people—introducing a joy that comes through Christ's presence and God's redemptive plan rather than worldly pleasures or success. The announcement reveals God's profound presence through Jesus, as proclaimed to humble shepherds, demonstrating that this joy is accessible to all, not just the esteemed or powerful. This choice reflects God's tendency to reach out to the overlooked and marginalized, who respond with attentiveness and faith. Jesus, described as Savior, Christ, and Lord, fulfills centuries-old promises of salvation, establishing Him as the foundation of a lasting joy that transcends temporary sorrows. This joy, embodied in Christ, transforms hardship into a pathway for spiritual growth, as seen in Romans 5:3-5, where suffering builds character and hope. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. To experience this enduring joy, Jesus instructs His followers to obey His word and remain in His love (John 15:9-11). Obedience is not restrictive but brings believers closer to God, enabling them to experience His guiding presence. Remaining in His love, as Henri Nouwen suggests, means knowing oneself to be unconditionally loved by God. This realization brings a joy that surpasses life's challenges, offering Christians a steady assurance that their worth and ultimate fulfillment are found in God's love and salvation.
Please note that the 1st part is in English, and the 2nd part is in Malayalam starting at 15:20 mark.Matthew 7:21- “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.” എന്നോടു കർത്താവേ, കർത്താവേ, എന്നു പറയുന്നവൻ ഏവനുമല്ല, സ്വർഗ്ഗസ്ഥനായ എന്റെ പിതാവിന്റെ ഇഷ്ടം ചെയ്യുന്നവൻ അത്രേസ്വർഗ്ഗരാജ്യത്തിൽ കടക്കുന്നതു.There are people who call God and pray several times a day. There are people with different gifts from the Holy Spirit. You may be a pastor or a preacher or a priest. None of these factors guarantee that they will enter heaven. Only those who do the will of the Father in heaven will enter heaven. If someone has the gift to prophesize, but does not do the will of God, he or she will not enter heaven. Just like a tree that does not produce good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire, a person who does not bear fruit or who does not do the will of God will be thrown into hell. Even if a person has the gift of casting out demons and performing miracles in the name of Jesus, at the Last Judgment he may not enter heaven if he does not do the will of the Father in heaven. From these verses it is understood that it is very important to know the will ofGod and act upon it in order to enter heaven. The different wills of God are discussed.My name... Cicilysunny@gmail.com
Connecting the gospel messages; Emperor changing; Caligula?; vs Tiberius; Rome vs U.S.; Church resources; Aid to others; Buying votes; "Offices" in society; Deacon? = "minister unto"; Well story; Geographical network; Working for your benefits; Self-organization; Readiness for calamity; Doing what the bible talks about; Living by faith instead of force; God's offices; Elders?; Choosing your minister; Free assemblies; Ex 33:10; Ex 4:31; "Worship"?; Christ's prayer; Envy and betrayal; Servants of Holy Spirit; The love OF God; Guaranteeing benefits; Why we're in bondage; "Vail"; Cruelty?; Federal Reserve; 7 men?; Serving tables; Lk 19:23; 1 Chron 9:22; Porters of the temple; Ecc 11:1; Casting bread upon the waters; Are your prayers heard?; Ambassadors; Owning all things common; Coming against Christ; Trusts; Natural Law; The rich man; Manifesting Holy Spirit; High Priest?; Dentist of Bergamot; Pride; Claudia/Gladys?; Lady Godiva; Congressional witness; Tens; Mom story; Wickedness; Meditation; Pilate's trial; Oaths and jurisdiction; Why you are in bondage; Follow Christ!
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