Sep 30, 2010
Posted on Sep 30, 2010 in Cross, Quotes, Resources
Justin Childers wrote the following on his blog:
In his new book, Church Planter, Darrin Patrick takes some time to meditate on the gospel. Here is a particularly helpful list to meditate on from chapter 9 (idea: spend the next month meditating on one of these every day):
Through His cross-work, Christ has provided:
- Reconciliation to God (2 Cor 5:19).
- Forgiveness of sins (Col. 2:13).
- Propitiation (Rom. 3:25).
- Ability to live for God (2 Cor. 5:15).
- Eternal life (John 3:16).
- Justification (Rom 4:25).
- Inheritance in heaven (Eph. 1:11).
- Righteousness (Phil 3:9-10).
- Healing (1 Peter 2:24).
- Bodlily resurrection (1 Cor. 15:22).
- Intercession for the weak (Heb 7:25).
- Peace (Isa 53:5).
- Freedom (Gal 5:1).
- Unity among believers (Eph 2:11-22).
- An example (1 Peter 2:21).
- Redemption (Rom 3:24).
- Advocacy (1 John 2:1).
- Deliverance from fear of death (Heb 2:14-15).
- Hope (Rom 5:1-11).
- Wisdom (1 Cor 1:30).
- Regeneration (1 Peter 1:3).
- Access to God’s presence (Heb 10:19).
- All things (Rom 8:32).
In short, Christ’s death has given us God (1 Peter 3:18).
Sep 28, 2010
Posted on Sep 28, 2010 in Uncategorized
From Spurgeon on Psalm 121:
“A number of years ago Captain D. commanded a vessel sailing from Liverpool to New York, and on one voyage he had all his family with him on board the ship.
One night, when all were quietly asleep, there arose a sudden squall of wind, which came sweeping over the waters until it struck the vessel, and instantly threw her on her side, tumbling and crashing everything that was moveable, and awaking the passengers to a consciousness that they were in imminent peril.
Everyone on board was alarmed and uneasy, and some sprang from their berths and began to dress, that they might be ready for the worst.
Captain D. had a little girl on board, just eight years old, who, of course, awoke with the rest.
“What’s the matter?” said the frightened child.
They told her a squall had struck the ship.
“Is father on deck?” said she.
“Yes; father’s on deck.”
The little thing dropped herself on her pillow again without a fear, and in a few moments was sleeping sweetly in spite of winds or waves.
Fear net the windy tempests wild, Thy bark they shall not wreck;
Lie down and sleep, O helpless child! Thy Father’s on the deck.
Quoted from: Spurgeon, C. H. (2009). The treasury of David, Volume 6: Psalms 120-150 (21). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Sep 20, 2010
Posted on Sep 20, 2010 in Bible Study
1 John 5:13 “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.”
Here is a chart I put together as I worked through 1 John thinking about assurance. The verses are listed below since the chart is a bit difficult to read.
| No Assurance |
Assurance |
| 1:6 if we say have fellowship but walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth |
1:7 if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin |
| 1:8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us |
1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. |
| 2:4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar and the truth is not in him. |
2:5 whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know if we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. |
| 2:9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. |
2:10 Whoever loves his brother abides in the light and in him there is no cause for stumbling. |
| 2:17a The world is passing away along with its desires |
2:17b Whoever does the will of God abides forever |
| 3:8 Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. |
3:7 Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. |
| 3:10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. |
3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. |
| 3:14b whoever does not love abides in death |
3:14a We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. |
| 4:8 Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love. |
4:7 Love is from God. Whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. |
| 4:20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. |
4:19 We love because he first loved us;
5:1 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. |
| 5:12 whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. |
5:12 Whoever has the Son has life |
Sep 10, 2010
Posted on Sep 10, 2010 in Bible Study, Resources
This morning in our men’s gathering we talked about studying the Word and we mentioned a number of resources. Here are a few that were either mentioned or are helpful to know about.
Online:
Logos.com is a good software that has some base packages that are reasonable in price and are very powerful.
biblia.com links with a
logos.com account and allows you to have books available online from any computer.
Mobile:
ESV + App for iPhone $14.99 This is the nicest looking and most functional bible application I have ever used on a mobile device. Its user interface is elegant and it has the ESV Study Bible included along with audio from the whole Bible (internet connectivity required for audio, but not for Study Bible or Bible)
Print:
Basic Bible Study books that are very helpful no matter if you have been a Christian for a long time or are just starting out.
These books by Mark Dever are very helpful if you want to an overview of any book of the Bible. He does a good job of pointing to Christ. A good resource to have on your shelf.
These next two books are Bible Atlases and are very helpful when studying about a time and place that we are unfamiliar with. We didn’t talk about them this morning, but I think it is good to have one on your shelf as a reference. The Moody Bible Atlas by Barry Beitzel has won numerous awards and is on permanent display in the Library of Congress. The ESV Atlas is new and I have heard many good things about it and have quickly looked through it. It utilizes some of the diagrams from the Study BIble.
Sep 3, 2010
Posted on Sep 3, 2010 in Articles
What does it mean to have Christian Hope?
Christian hope is based upon the scriptures (Rom 15:4) and is built fully upon the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ who was promised throughout the Old Testament (Acts 26:6; 1 Tim 1:1).Christian Hope is waiting patiently for what you cannot see and believing fully that it is both true now and in the future. (Romans 8:24,25)
Not even suffering can shake this hope (2 Cor 1:7), but rather strengthen it (Rom 5:3,4) because it is laid up for us in heaven (Col 1:5); is good news for all (Col 1:23); and is our steadfast anchor for our souls (Hebrews 6:18). The indwelling Spirit of Christ is the hope of glory (Col 1:27) and this living hope (1 Peter 1:3) informs both how we grieve (1 Thes 4:13) and also how we rejoice (Romans 12:12) so that people might ask for the reason we have such hope (1 Peter 3:15). Our hope may fade and grow dim (Eph 1:18) which is why we must do all that we can to maintain our focus on Christ and his return as our only hope for salvation. (1 Peter 1:13).
