Deep Riches: The Fall of Man

This week over on Deep Riches, we will look at the Fall of Man. Talking snakes and forbidden fruit--is it to be taken literally? Is it allegorical? What really happened? Go to Deep Riches to find o...

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The Fall of Man

Some interpret the fall of man as allegorical, saying it is just a figurative story to represent all people and their temptation. Some interpret the fall as a myth story that personifies the struggle between good and evil. These interpretations do injustice to the text and are inconsistent with the rest of Scripture. Additionally, an allegorical...

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Extreme Truth

Matthew 10:32“Are you not afraid of what we will do to you?” the Communist colonel asked, his tone a combination of mockery and challenge.Young Pastor Kochanga, having preached only one sermon in his career, stood before the colonel, knowing that the man held the power of life or death over him. He answered in a respectful, yet fervent tone.“Sir,...

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The Best Duty

Jeremiah 29:12As faith is called the best of graces, so prayer is called the best of duties. If other duties are pennies, this is a pound in many respects. First, it gives God the glory of His three great attributes.1. It gives Him the glory of His omniscience, that He knows all your wants, that He, whose throne is in heaven, yet hears all...

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Four Years Later, God Is Still on His Throne

This is an email that a friend from the Mississippi Gulf Coast sent yesterday. It helps to get the perspective of someone who has been there through it all.Hello friends,I haven't written much lately. Not much has changed since the last time I wrote, but since tomorrow marks the 4th anniversary of Katrina, I thought I'd write some. I started to say write a little, but I don't won't to lie to you!!Four years ago, I was sitting...

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He Rides Upon Katrina

Four years ago today, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast. Having lived in Gulfport, MS from 1991-1999, we still had many friends and loved ones there. For reasons only known to the national news media, New Orleans received virtually all of the press coverage, but the destruction was felt throughout the region. Especially hard hit...

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Spurgeon Saturday

Psalm 51:1When Dr. Carey was suffering from a dangerous illness, the enquiry was made, “If this sickness should prove fatal, what passage would you select as the text for your funeral sermon?” He replied, “Oh, I feel that such a poor sinful creature is unworthy to have anything said about him; but if a funeral sermon must be preached, let...

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Dr. Seuss Performs a Wedding

I got this in an email this week. I don't know who originally wrote it, so I can't give them proper credit, but I thought it was worth passing on.What if Dr. Seuss performed a wedding?Pastor: Will you answer me right nowThese questions, as your wedding vow?Groom: Yes, I will answer right nowYour questions as my wedding vow.Pastor: Will you...

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Worship Due

Philippians 2:7-8We read and believe many things in light of the Incarnation. But even in our human feelings, we can observe God's greatness. For example, Jesus is wearied by His journey so that He can refresh the weary. He desires a drink when He is about to give spiritual water to the thirsty. He was hun-gry when He was about to supply...

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Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament on Logos

It's interesting that on the day that I chose to review Dr. Beale's book,The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism, Logos Bible Software decided to release his Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament. This is an excellent resource that uniquely stands out among commentaries. For a limited time, Logos is selling the download...

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Ex Libris: The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism

In The Erosion of Inerrancy in Evangelicalism: Responding to New Challenges to Biblical Authority, Dr. G. K. Beale presents a collection of essays designed to highlight and refute some current attempts within the evangelical community to weaken the doctrine of biblical inerrancy.See the full review over on Ex Libris....

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Original Sin

Romans 5:12Original sin may be defined as a hereditary corruption and depravity of our nature, extending to all the parts of the soul, which first makes us obnoxious to the wrath of God, and then produces in us works which in Scripture are termed works of the flesh. This corruption is repeatedly designated by Paul by the term "sin" (Gal....

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Lovely Inhabitants

All the persons that belong to the blessed society of heaven are lovely. The Father of the family is lovely, and so are all his children; the head of the body lovely, and so are all the members. Among the angels there are none that are unlovely, for they are all holy; and no evil angels are suffered to infest heaven as they do this world,...

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Lasting Truth

Hebrews 9:14By genuine holiness, the people of God cast out the enemy of godliness. They do so by rejecting him, not by pacifying him. And they overcome all of the enemy's temptations by praying to God against him. For the devil can only conquer or master those who are allied with sin. Therefore, he is conquered in the name of the One who...

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Deep Riches: Our Propitiation and Reconciliation

Propitiation and reconciliation are two big words with even bigger meanings. Find out what they are and why they are important over on Deep Rich...

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Jesus Died to Be Our Propitiation and Reconciliation

Christ died as our propitiation. Under the Old Covenant, the High Priest was required to make an atoning sacrifice for the people of Israel once a year on Yom Kippur. That was the only day he was allowed to enter the Holy-of-holies and be in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant. He was called to sprinkle the blood of a pure lamb on the...

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Extreme Assassin

John 12:32The Muslim leader was shocked to find Andrew, the Christian evangelist, sitting in his living room with his own family, sharing a meal together!He was shocked because he had recently offered a large reward to have this Christian killed. Now Andrew was in his home telling his own family members about Jesus. “What’s going on here?”...

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The Easy Yoke

Matthew 11:30Since Christ is so compassionate, surely it is unreasonable to quarrel at and refuse to submit unto His yoke? The yoke of such a merciful one must be an easy yoke, and his burden a light burden (Matt. 11:30). The kingdom of heaven is like a marriage and as the wife's subjection unto a tender and indulgent husband is sweet and...

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Spurgeon Saturday

Song of Solomon 5:8Such is the language of the believer panting after present fellowship with Jesus, he is sick for his Lord. Gracious souls are never perfectly at ease except they are in a state of nearness to Christ; for when they are away from him they lose their peace. The nearer to him, the nearer to the perfect calm of heaven; the nearer...

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Why Missions?

Why do we do spend so much time, effort, energy and resources on missions? Why should we spend far more than we do--even to the point of pouring out our lifeblood and the lifeblood of our children on the mission field? Watch this video for the answer.Hebrews 10:24HT: ...

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Equiping the Saints

Another headline. Another pastor is hauled away from his pulpit in shame and disgrace. Another church is devastated. Another ministry is destroyed. Why does it happen so often? Stand to Reason blog posted a very good article that addresses some of the core issues involved.This is sad. Another pastor taken down by sin. Now, I think these cases...

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Loving Others

John 13:35We should remember what name Christ calls His people, by what title He gives to His flock. He calls them sheep, that their Christian innocence might be like that of sheep. He calls them lambs, that their simplicity of mind might imitate the simple nature of lambs. Why does the wolf lurk under the appearance of sheep? Why does he...

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Ex Libris: Amusing Ourselves to Death

Yes, I finally read Neil Postman’s modern classic, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. It was worth the wait.See my review over on Ex Libris....

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Courageous Prayer

Matthew 6:10We ought to derive from these verses a profitable admonition. For if we are members of the Church, the Lord calls upon us to cherish the same desire which he wished believers to cherish under the Law; that is, that we should wish with our whole heart that the kingdom of Christ should flourish and prosper, and that we should also...

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Family Forgiveness

Because everyone has sinned, everyone needs forgiveness. That is especially true within families. But how does that forgiveness play out in our families?This message is the latest in our summer series called, “Faith and Family”. The manuscript of Sunday morning’s sermon from Colossians 3:12-21 is available here. You can listen online or download...

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Pursue Happiness

Psalm 146:5Happiness is the end of the creation, as appears by this, because the creation had as good not be, as not rejoice in its being. For certainly it was the goodness of the Creator that moved him to create; and how can we conceive of another end proposed by goodness, than that he might delight in seeing the creatures he made rejoice...

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Believe, Hope, Love

1 Peter 5:5In the Old Testament there is a veiling of the New, and in the New Testament there is a revealing of the Old. According to that veiling, fleshly people once were and continue to be dominated by fear of punishment. But according to the revealing, spiritual people have been freed by the gift of love. They knocked in holiness and...

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Deep Riches: Our Substitute and Redeemer

Why did Jesus have to die? To be our substitute and redeemer. Find out what that means on Deep Riches....

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Jesus Died to Be Our Substitute and Redeemer

Christ is our substitute. Under the Law, the priest would lay his hands on a lamb to represent the sins of Israel being imputed to the spotless one. God’s perfect law requires the wages of sin to be paid in death. Since God is righteous and immutable, He cannot waive that requirement or ignore it. To fulfill His perfect law, He sent Christ...

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Extreme Conviction

1 Thessalonians 1:5In a recent interview, an Indonesian Christian, Petrus, made this startling statement: “Because we have Jesus, it is not difficult to be a Christian, although there are many oppressions.” While his statement seems obvious to many of us, following Christ has required great sacrifice for Petrus.An angry, radical Muslim mob...

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Trace God’s Mercies

Psalm 18:25Whoever would be wise should read the Proverbs; whoever would be holy should read the Psalms. Every line in this book breathes peculiar sanctity. Psalm 18, though placed among the first, was penned among the last (as the preface assures us) and is left as the epitome of the general history of David's life. It is twice recorded...

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