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May 2016 31 May 31, 2016
2

How many of you reading this article are by nature patient? Continue reading . . .  How many of you reading this article are by nature patient? Is there anyone who finds patience as natural as breathing? Anyone? Anyone? I’m looking for that man or woman, young or old, who instinctively responds to irritating people and aggravating circumstances with a calm and controlled spirit. Anyone? Anyone? Hmmm. I didn’t think so. No one comes by patience naturall...Read More

May 2016 30 May 30, 2016
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Today we turn our attention to the person of the Holy Spirit. We’ll follow up next week by looking at the work of the Spirit. Continue reading . . .  Today we turn our attention to the person of the Holy Spirit. We’ll follow up next week by looking at the work of the Spirit. (1) In the OT the word most often translated as “Spirit” is the feminine noun ruach. It is used 94 times of the Spirit of God. In the NT the word most often translated ...Read More

May 2016 27 May 27, 2016
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John Calvin was born on July 10, 1509, at Noyon in Northeastern France. Continue reading . . .  John Calvin was born on July 10, 1509, at Noyon in Northeastern France. Unlike Martin Luther, Calvin was born into the professional class and received an excellent early education. His name has come to us via a process: Cauvin is French; Calvinus is the Latinized form; Calvin is the Anglicized form.] We can’t be certain, but the likelihood is that his conversion t...Read More

May 2016 26 May 26, 2016
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I have two brief announcements, the first far more important (at least to me) than the second (which may be important to you). Continue reading . . .  I have two brief announcements, the first far more important (at least to me) than the second (which may be important to you). First, today is my 44th wedding anniversary (and the 11th birthday of my youngest grandson, John Benjamin)! What can I say about Ann? Well, a lot, actually! But I won’t share my deepes...Read More

May 2016 25 May 25, 2016

[Speculation about Paul’s thorn in the flesh continues unabated. In this superb article Andrew Wilson asks and answers the question: who gave Paul his thorn? This is a critically important question, especially as it sheds light on the subjects of divine sovereignty and suffering. Read it closely. It first appeared at the blog, Think Theology, on Wednesday, May 18, 2016.] Continue reading . . .  [Speculation about Paul’s thorn in the flesh continues unab...Read More

May 2016 24 May 24, 2016

[This article by Mary Kassian is one of the best treatments of this thorny question as I’ve ever read. I encourage you to study it closely and in its entirety. It is a model of careful and judicious reasoning in an effort to answer questions not explicitly addressed in Scripture. It first appeared on Saturday, May 21, 2016, at www.desiringgod.org.] Continue reading . . .  [This article by Mary Kassian is one of the best treatments of this thorny question as I...Read More

May 2016 23 May 23, 2016
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Here are 10 things we should know about Satan. Continue reading . . .  Here are 10 things we should know about Satan. (1) Satan, like all other angels, was created at a point in time (Col. 1:16; John 1:1-3). Satan is not eternal. He is a finite creature. He is, therefore, God's Devil. Satan is not the equal and opposite power of God (contra dualism). His power is not infinite. He does not possess divine attributes. In sum, he is no match for God! At most, Satan is...Read More

May 2016 19 May 19, 2016

[Yesterday I posted an article by Denny Burk regarding the evil and outrageous order by our President regarding gender neutral bathrooms in America’s public school. Today I encourage you to read this article by Andrew Wilson, posted on his blog on Friday, May 13, 2006.] Continue reading . . .  [Yesterday I posted an article by Denny Burk regarding the evil and outrageous order by our President regarding gender neutral bathrooms in America’s public schoo...Read More

May 2016 18 May 18, 2016
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[This timely and insightful article by Denny Burk appeared on his blog on May 12, coming in the wake and in response to an outrageous order by our President. Read it closely.] Continue reading . . .  [This timely and insightful article by Denny Burk appeared on his blog on May 12, coming in the wake and in response to an outrageous order by our President. Read it closely.] By the time you read this, the news will be all over the country. The New York Times reports...Read More

May 2016 17 May 17, 2016

A couple of weeks ago I wrote a brief article on Prince and asked whether he, a Jehovah’s Witness, might have known in a saving way the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions from that article. What I found rather providential is that about an hour after I finished writing the piece they showed up at my front door! Yes, the Jehovah’s Witnesses were canvassing my neighborhood. I engaged the young man in conversatio...Read More

May 2016 16 May 16, 2016

Here we take up the issue of the new birth, or what we often refer to as regeneration or being born again. Continue reading . . .  Here we take up the issue of the new birth, or what we often refer to as regeneration or being born again. (1) Being born again is not to be thought of in terms of moral reformation, a mere exchange of one set of habits for another set. Some mistakenly think that mankind does not need re-creation, only redirection. But as we shall shor...Read More

May 2016 13 May 13, 2016

[Last Saturday, May 7, Ross Douthat, writing for the New York Times, had some interesting things to say about Donald Trump. He cannot bring himself to believe, and neither can I, that any right-thinking conservative could support a man of Trump’s (lack of) character and temperament. Here is a portion of the editorial.] Continue reading . . .  [Last Saturday, May 7, Ross Douthat, writing for the New York Times, had some interesting things to say about Donald T...Read More

May 2016 12 May 12, 2016

I often find myself asking why God did what he has done. Continue reading . . . I often find myself asking why God did what he has done. What reason did he have for doing it this way and not that way? On occasion, to be honest, it doesn’t strike me as being the best or most efficient way of doing things. On occasion, I say to myself, and to God, “That doesn’t make sense to me. It seems really odd that this is how you have chosen to go about achieving y...Read More

May 2016 11 May 11, 2016

In the opening verses of John 13, as Jesus prepared to eat the last supper with his disciples on the night when Judas would betray him, we are confronted with two glorious indications of how much Christ loved his own. Continue reading . . .  In the opening verses of John 13, as Jesus prepared to eat the last supper with his disciples on the night when Judas would betray him, we are confronted with two glorious indications of how much Christ loved his own. We read t...Read More

May 2016 10 May 10, 2016
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While much can and should be said about spiritual gifts, here are a few relevant observations or principles that I believe should guide our understanding and exercise of the charismata. Continue reading . . .  While much can and should be said about spiritual gifts, here are a few relevant observations or principles that I believe should guide our understanding and exercise of the charismata. (1) Every single spiritual gift, whether it be mercy, serving, giving, s...Read More

May 2016 9 May 9, 2016
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Here we take up the concept of God’s saving grace as irresistible. Continue reading . . .  Here we take up the concept of God’s saving grace as irresistible. (1) Irresistible grace concerns the process by which God brings the elect to saving faith in Jesus. However, we must be cautious lest we reduce the mystery of salvation and conversion to a mechanical sequence that can be monitored with mathematical precision. We must never forget that just as the ...Read More

May 2016 6 May 6, 2016

We’ve been looking at James 4:13-17 where James highlights five principles for helping us process the reality of divine providence in our lives. Give serious consideration to them as you reflect on life today and your plans for the next five minutes as well as the distant future. Continue reading . . .  We’ve been looking at James 4:13-17 where James highlights five principles for helping us process the reality of divine providence in our lives. Give se...Read More

May 2016 5 May 5, 2016

In an earlier article we looked briefly at how Paul viewed the providence of God in his life and apostolic ministry. Here I want us to turn our attention to what James says in James 4:13-17. Continue reading . . .  In an earlier article we looked briefly at how Paul viewed the providence of God in his life and apostolic ministry. Here I want us to turn our attention to what James says in James 4:13-17. There we read: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorr...Read More

May 2016 4 May 4, 2016

Is it possible for a Christian to live like an atheist? Continue reading . . .  Is it possible for a Christian to live like an atheist? I don’t mean “live like an atheist” in the sense that one actually denies the existence of God or commits sin repeatedly and feels no conviction or experiences no repentance. That person would have no basis for claiming to be a Christian in the first place. What I have in mind is a person who is born again going a...Read More

May 2016 3 May 3, 2016

The disturbing and unbiblical trend continues: professing Christians who insist they love Jesus but have no formal association with or participation in the life of a local church. What are we to make of this? Is the church secondary to God’s purposes in history? Or might it be primary? And if so, what is the reason for the existence of the church? Continue reading . . .  The disturbing and unbiblical trend continues: professing Christians who insist they love...Read More

May 2016 2 May 2, 2016
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Today we focus on 10 things that every Christian should know about the penal substitutionary atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Continue reading . . .  Today we focus on 10 things that every Christian should know about the penal substitutionary atoning sacrifice of Jesus. (1) A good working definition of penal substitution is provided by the authors of the book, Pierced for our Transgressions: “The doctrine of penal substitution states that God gave himself in the ...Read More