False Christian teachings, trends….
This post contains a sermon from James 1: 2-11 on God’s purpose in sending trials and how to deal with them such that you might begin to know Christian maturity, fullness… being made perfect. Since all Christians will encounter trials from God to grow their faith, it is critical that you know how to go through these trials; upon what you should focus and why that ought to be your focus. This sermon makes those things very clear.
It has been said that the Gospel is so simple that a young child can hear it, understand it and believe it, yet so profound that a theologian can spend a lifetime studying its glorious transcendent truths. It is the greatest news anyone will ever hear because it offers a free and complete salvation from the punishment and power of sin, and a glorious inheritance in the everlasting kingdom of God awaits all believers. Topics of the gospel cards: God; Man; Sin; Jesus Christ; the cross; resurrection; salvation; grace; faith; repentance; righteousness; truth. [The complete newsletter is herein pasted, it includes speaking times and places; letters to the editor….]
The 2-minute video of this post, is about God’s sovereignty and our responsibility in prayer. He is our Father and wants to ‘catch us up into His purposes’ via prayer, according to Dr. Sinclair Ferguson.
This post contains a 1 minute 25 second video wherein Dr. W. Robert Godfrey of Ligonier Ministries speaks about the difference between God’s prescribed and decreed will: ‘we are were God has decreed us to be, but we may not be where He has prescribed us to be….’
Murray notes that it is a chief goal of Satan to cause a falling out between Christians. To illustrate that one of the chief sources of scripture he uses is from the book of Job. Murray clarifies what was wrong with the advice of Job’s friends, even though it was biblical: their application. Murray’s 3 points: what was wrong with the advice of Job’s friends; 2, what had to be done to end the breakdown in their relationships; 3, what did each person have to do?
This post contains a 3 minute, 30 second video that explains Romans 12:1 and 2. All born-again believers need to learn and do the things specified in these two verses. It also indicates how that is accomplished in a believer’s life. For those who might want more, a recent post is added; that post explains the mindset of surrender
This post contains an 8-minute excerpt from Dr James Boice’s 35-minute sermon. The excerpt speaks to how believers must deal with the world if they would follow Christ. In that portion, Dr. Boice spoke of how Alexander Solzhenitsyn wrote of facing such trials when he was placed in the Soviet prison system. Boice’s quote came from Solzhenitsyn’s work, The Gulag Archipelago; he framed it as the correct perspective of a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. The quote actually explains Jesus’ words: deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Me. [Highlight points are below video for those who would rather read]
This post contains a 5-minute video from Got Questions Ministries that explains what it means “to take up your cross and follow Jesus.” You will also learn what it does not mean and how you may evaluate your commitment to Jesus.
This post contains Bible commentary on Isaiah 40:31, about waiting on the Lord. The comments are from Barnes’ Notes on the Bible; but there is a link to commentaries on the verse at Bible Hub, for those who would like to read other commentators. The concept of ‘waiting’ on God is found often in scripture and something that we all need to understand and seek God’s help in doing.
This post contains an excerpt and the full video from which it derives. It covers some widely misunderstood scriptures regarding ‘calling’ by God and much more that is relevant to the Christian life. Pastor Hines opened with the intention of discussing Romans 12:1-2, but via questions from listeners was led into explaining the phrase ‘God desires all to be saved….’ He explained two passages related to that from 1 Timothy 2 and 2 Peter 3. [Highlight points follow excerpt.]