I am continually struggling with the question of knowing whether or not what I do is in God's will for me. How can I tell if what I want is what God desires; and how can I know if what I am seeking is supported by God for me or is in opposition to His desires for me?
Ray Pritchard of
Keep Believing Ministries
address this issue in this blog entry from earlier today entitled
Ray Pritchard » 25 Affirmations About God’s Will » June 5, 2009
He posted this entry as a follow-up to his appearance earlier in the day on American Family Radio's "Christian Life
Today" which airs live from 2 pm to
3 pm Eastern.
He introduces the entry as follows:
During the Friday edition of “Christian Life Today” on American Family Radio, we talked
about what it means to know and do God’s will. It’s been my experience that most
Christians are sincere and truly want to do God’s will if only they could figure
out what it is. And most people realize there is no easy answer to the question,
“What does God want me to do?”
Sometimes we get tripped up because we want something God never promised. We want
a detailed plan that tells us what to do in every situation. And of answering every
question we might have, God says, “Trust me one step at a time.” Listed in no particular
order, here are 25 affirmations that may help you sort things out.Today"
What comforted me, once reviewing the list, is that I have been practicing a number of these steps as a part of my Walk. Now, I have a more formalized check list to return to thanks to the radio show spawning the publishing of the list.
Thanks Pastor Ray, and I look forward to your hosting the show once again the week of June 15.
The audio link I have bookmarked for AFR Talk is this:
http://mediaserver3.afa.net:8000/talk.mp3
This link will record nicely in Replay Av for listening at a more convenient time.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Interesting Shows from David Jeremiah and James MacDonald
Today, David Jeremiah concluded the 6 days of teaching on the "70 weeks" of chapter 9 of Daniel, a subseries of the larger Daniel book study which consists of 62 or so programs presenting 31 messages.
What's interesting about today's program is that he outlines why the carrying away to Babylon occurred, how the Jews learned from it upon their return to the Promised Land (they never again worshipped false idols), and how the Jews remain His Chosen People which will be manifested in its full glory in Christ's Millennial reign.
You can listen to Turning Point archives at this link
Turning Point (Dr. David Jeremiah) - Broadcast Archives
or today's show at this url:
http://ht.salemweb.net/oneplace/rm/tp/tp20090408.rm
Thursday and Friday will feature Easter shows as might be expected with a return to the Daniel study on Monday.
Speaking of Holy week shows, James Macdonald of
Walk in the Word
has had several good ones this week. On Tuesday's show, we discover, after reading Luke 23, v26
As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the
country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
who this "Simon" is.
Well, who is this apparently unwitting carrier of the cross? Well, let's add, says MacDonald, some additional info from Mark 15, v.21:
A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing
by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.
For most of us, this doesn't seem to add a lot -- or does it?
Well, turn to Romans 16, v.13, where Paul writes:
Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
----------
So, suggests MacDonald, perhaps Simon embraced the Lord at the Cross, thanks to this chance meeting
and this lead to blessings down the road received by Paul. Nothing in the Bible gets mentioned by mistake; and everything is there for a reason; we just don't always understand or recognize it..
Returning to Luke 23:28 and following, we are given Jesus' last message to the crowds in 77 English words prophesizing the destruction of the city of Jerusalem in 70 A.d.
Today's show is another thought provoker in getting us to think as to how we might have reacted if we had been part of the scene on that fateful Crucifixion Day.
,
To subscribe to the Walk In the Word podcast, enter this url into your podcatcher:
http://www.walkintheword.com/podcast.xml
What's interesting about today's program is that he outlines why the carrying away to Babylon occurred, how the Jews learned from it upon their return to the Promised Land (they never again worshipped false idols), and how the Jews remain His Chosen People which will be manifested in its full glory in Christ's Millennial reign.
You can listen to Turning Point archives at this link
Turning Point (Dr. David Jeremiah) - Broadcast Archives
or today's show at this url:
http://ht.salemweb.net/oneplace/rm/tp/tp20090408.rm
Thursday and Friday will feature Easter shows as might be expected with a return to the Daniel study on Monday.
Speaking of Holy week shows, James Macdonald of
Walk in the Word
has had several good ones this week. On Tuesday's show, we discover, after reading Luke 23, v26
As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the
country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.
who this "Simon" is.
Well, who is this apparently unwitting carrier of the cross? Well, let's add, says MacDonald, some additional info from Mark 15, v.21:
A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing
by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.
For most of us, this doesn't seem to add a lot -- or does it?
Well, turn to Romans 16, v.13, where Paul writes:
Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too.
----------
So, suggests MacDonald, perhaps Simon embraced the Lord at the Cross, thanks to this chance meeting
and this lead to blessings down the road received by Paul. Nothing in the Bible gets mentioned by mistake; and everything is there for a reason; we just don't always understand or recognize it..
Returning to Luke 23:28 and following, we are given Jesus' last message to the crowds in 77 English words prophesizing the destruction of the city of Jerusalem in 70 A.d.
Today's show is another thought provoker in getting us to think as to how we might have reacted if we had been part of the scene on that fateful Crucifixion Day.
,
To subscribe to the Walk In the Word podcast, enter this url into your podcatcher:
http://www.walkintheword.com/podcast.xml
Monday, April 6, 2009
"Turning Point" with David Jeremiah Archives have Returned
Good News. The "Turning Point" archives are back. Find them here
Turning Point (Dr. David Jeremiah) - Broadcast Archives
That's the same place as before. For some reason, they were down for several days. Now, they are back, up and running, and updated.
And speaking of "Turning Point," Friday, April 3, and today's Monday, April 6, shows make for interesting listening. Dr Jeremiah explains Daniel's 70-week prophecy and how 69 of those 70 weeks have been completed. He includes a somewhat calculation complex explanation as to the date accuracy of the whole thing.
Related to today's program, in this morning's devotional email, Jeremiah explains the test prophets faced.
"Many people claim to speak for God today without applying the definitive test given
in Scripture concerning prophecy: accuracy. "When a prophet speaks in the name of
the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the
Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid
of him" (Deuteronomy 18:22).
That was the test God gave Moses for those who would presume to speak in God's name.
What they said must come to pass. That was the same test God applied to Himself when
He spoke through His chosen prophets. For instance, when Zechariah spoke for the
Lord, saying that Israel's king would one day appear riding on "a colt, the foal
of a donkey" (9:9), that is precisely what happened: Jesus rode into
Jerusalem."
on the colt of a donkey (Mark 11:2; Luke 19:30). It was God's way of validating
When you need assurance that God is true to His Word, read the prophetic portions
You can receive the daily emails by going to this link
http--www.davidjeremiah.org-
and filling in your email address in the appropriate edit box.
Turning Point (Dr. David Jeremiah) - Broadcast Archives
That's the same place as before. For some reason, they were down for several days. Now, they are back, up and running, and updated.
And speaking of "Turning Point," Friday, April 3, and today's Monday, April 6, shows make for interesting listening. Dr Jeremiah explains Daniel's 70-week prophecy and how 69 of those 70 weeks have been completed. He includes a somewhat calculation complex explanation as to the date accuracy of the whole thing.
Related to today's program, in this morning's devotional email, Jeremiah explains the test prophets faced.
"Many people claim to speak for God today without applying the definitive test given
in Scripture concerning prophecy: accuracy. "When a prophet speaks in the name of
the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the
Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid
of him" (Deuteronomy 18:22).
That was the test God gave Moses for those who would presume to speak in God's name.
What they said must come to pass. That was the same test God applied to Himself when
He spoke through His chosen prophets. For instance, when Zechariah spoke for the
Lord, saying that Israel's king would one day appear riding on "a colt, the foal
of a donkey" (9:9), that is precisely what happened: Jesus rode into
Jerusalem."
on the colt of a donkey (Mark 11:2; Luke 19:30). It was God's way of validating
When you need assurance that God is true to His Word, read the prophetic portions
You can receive the daily emails by going to this link
http--www.davidjeremiah.org-
and filling in your email address in the appropriate edit box.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
"God's Friday, The Day God Died for our Salvation"
"God's Friday, The First Good Friday" is a constant phrase in this Sunday's "Lutheran Hour" sermon preached by Ken Klaus.
Go to
Lutheran Hour Ministries - The Lutheran Hour
and look for links to read the sermon transcript, here it on line as well as to subscribe to the weekly podcast or have sermon texts emailed to you weekly.
As every Christian school child knows "Christ paid for my sins by dying on the Cross on Good Friday." Four of the statements in the Apostles' Creed refer to the events surrounding the Crucifixion.
I have been seeking something that might tie all this together, particularly to direct the new Christian to, insofar as what does being saved all mean and how was this achieved.
Thanks to Ray Pritchard and
Keep Believing.com
ministries and his weekly podcast, we have Salvation boiled down to 27 and a half minutes of succcinct information much like the mantra "give us 20 minutes and we'll give you the world" slogans offered by all news radio stations such as WBBM Chicago, WINS New York or KNX Los Angeles.
The sermon,
The Day God Died,
uses Hebrews 9 and 10 as its primary scriptural focus rather than one of the 4 gospels.
For those preferring to read the text, it can be found here
The Day God Died Crucified, Died
It is one of those documents that would make for a great inclusion in church new believer packets.
Go to
Lutheran Hour Ministries - The Lutheran Hour
and look for links to read the sermon transcript, here it on line as well as to subscribe to the weekly podcast or have sermon texts emailed to you weekly.
As every Christian school child knows "Christ paid for my sins by dying on the Cross on Good Friday." Four of the statements in the Apostles' Creed refer to the events surrounding the Crucifixion.
I have been seeking something that might tie all this together, particularly to direct the new Christian to, insofar as what does being saved all mean and how was this achieved.
Thanks to Ray Pritchard and
Keep Believing.com
ministries and his weekly podcast, we have Salvation boiled down to 27 and a half minutes of succcinct information much like the mantra "give us 20 minutes and we'll give you the world" slogans offered by all news radio stations such as WBBM Chicago, WINS New York or KNX Los Angeles.
The sermon,
The Day God Died,
uses Hebrews 9 and 10 as its primary scriptural focus rather than one of the 4 gospels.
For those preferring to read the text, it can be found here
The Day God Died Crucified, Died
It is one of those documents that would make for a great inclusion in church new believer packets.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Psalm 59 and 1 Samuel 19
One of the advantages of reading the Bible via an approach such as the one used in
Bruce’s Chronological Bible Project
is that you quickly see how things fit together.
Today, for example, the readings are 1 Samuel 18 and 19 plus Psalm 59.
The Psalm actually is inserted into the reading plan after verse 18 of 1 Sam 19.
Why, you ask?
Well, the intricacies of the situation facing David are complex as outlined in this commentary selection
1 Samuel 19 - David Flees from Saul?
He understands that they are after him, not due to anything that he has done, but rather out of Saul's jealousy. He is confident in God's ability to protect and defend him from harm and deal with his adversaries
He expresses his reliance on God in this matter..
Bruce’s Chronological Bible Project
is that you quickly see how things fit together.
Today, for example, the readings are 1 Samuel 18 and 19 plus Psalm 59.
The Psalm actually is inserted into the reading plan after verse 18 of 1 Sam 19.
Why, you ask?
Well, the intricacies of the situation facing David are complex as outlined in this commentary selection
1 Samuel 19 - David Flees from Saul?
He understands that they are after him, not due to anything that he has done, but rather out of Saul's jealousy. He is confident in God's ability to protect and defend him from harm and deal with his adversaries
He expresses his reliance on God in this matter..
In these Trying Times, God Remains in Charge -- a Message from James MacDonald and "Walk in the Word"
`We are now in the midst of the last of 6 messages comprising the "Always True" series on "Walk In the Word" with James MacDonald. This particular message is especially pertinent in these trying times of financial stress, unemployment, , and all the uncertainties that seem to plague the United States and much of the rest of the world.
, Our trust, of course, should be first and foremost in God not our IRA, job, or politicians. We tend to forget this when things go well; perhaps that's why God hits us on the head, so to speak, to remind us that he, and not us, are ultimately in charge.
For some reassurrance that ultimately God will take care of us (if we let him), give a listen to these 3 shows running through tomorrow.
Podcast subscription address:
http://www.walkintheword.com/podcast.xml
The latest 5 shows are available in this way.
The Wednesday April 1 through Friday April 3 shows contain this sermon originally preached at Harvest Chapel.
, Our trust, of course, should be first and foremost in God not our IRA, job, or politicians. We tend to forget this when things go well; perhaps that's why God hits us on the head, so to speak, to remind us that he, and not us, are ultimately in charge.
For some reassurrance that ultimately God will take care of us (if we let him), give a listen to these 3 shows running through tomorrow.
Podcast subscription address:
http://www.walkintheword.com/podcast.xml
The latest 5 shows are available in this way.
The Wednesday April 1 through Friday April 3 shows contain this sermon originally preached at Harvest Chapel.
Turning Point Broadcast Archives Apparently No Longer Available
Just checked; and to my frustration, the Turning Point broadcast archives appear to be missing as of this morning. Yesterday, I noticed that the show archives did not include the April 1 broadcast so perhaps the David Jeremiah organization has ended its affiliation with OnePlace.com. Hopefully, they will reappear somewhere soon and that podcasts will be included. "Turning Point" is one of the best ministry broadcasts out there; sadly, they are among the hardest to find in an ondemand form on the web.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Purpose of Prayer, Daniel 9, "Turning Point" with David Jeremiah
David jeremiah is about two thirds through his "handwriting On the Wall" series on Turning Point which focuses on the Book of Daniel.
The broadcasts of Monday March 30 and Tuesday the 31st focus on an interesting part of Daniel, namely the first part of Chapter 9 where Daniel prays. By examining these verses, Jeremiah points out, we can learn on how to pray and what the real purpose of prayer is -- it is the glory of God and asking him on how we may play a part in it.
The prayer may be found in Daniel 9, verses 4 through 19.
To hear the broadcasts, go to this page
Turning Point (Dr. David Jeremiah) - Broadcast Archives
and look for the broadcasts labeled "God's People and Prayer."
I particularly am moved towards verse 9
BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup Daniel 9
which reads
The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against
him.
It is interesting in how Daniel approaches the subject of why God should hear his request to return the Isrealites back to Jerusalem beginning at verse 17:
"Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O
cLord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary.
18
Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that
bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because
of your great mercy.
Verses from the NIV.
Some have suggested that Daniel's prayer was unnecessary as God had already preordained the Jews returning to Isreal. Rev. Adrian Dieleman, Pastor, Trinity United Reformed Church, Visalia, Ca
preached this
Sermon on Daniel 919which further expands on the purpose of prayer. This too makes for good reading.
The broadcasts of Monday March 30 and Tuesday the 31st focus on an interesting part of Daniel, namely the first part of Chapter 9 where Daniel prays. By examining these verses, Jeremiah points out, we can learn on how to pray and what the real purpose of prayer is -- it is the glory of God and asking him on how we may play a part in it.
The prayer may be found in Daniel 9, verses 4 through 19.
To hear the broadcasts, go to this page
Turning Point (Dr. David Jeremiah) - Broadcast Archives
and look for the broadcasts labeled "God's People and Prayer."
I particularly am moved towards verse 9
BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup Daniel 9
which reads
The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against
him.
It is interesting in how Daniel approaches the subject of why God should hear his request to return the Isrealites back to Jerusalem beginning at verse 17:
"Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O
cLord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary.
18
Give ear, O God, and hear; open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that
bears your Name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because
of your great mercy.
Verses from the NIV.
Some have suggested that Daniel's prayer was unnecessary as God had already preordained the Jews returning to Isreal. Rev. Adrian Dieleman, Pastor, Trinity United Reformed Church, Visalia, Ca
preached this
Sermon on Daniel 919which further expands on the purpose of prayer. This too makes for good reading.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Seeking Salvation From an Earthly King: It didn't work then so why should it Now?
The Israelites had it all: a perfect ruler in God himself and, if they chose to submit and obey his commandments, he guaranteed to protect them and make them prosperous. . Yet, they did not appreciate what they had but sought a better life, much as we do, from an earthly ruler demanding from judge Samuel (1 sam 8) an earthly king.
Before granting their wish, however, God had this warning (and does it not sound much like what we are facing today in seeking salvation from government by asking it to fulfill our needs):
Here is NIv's presentation of 1 Samuel, Chapter 8, verses 10-20:
BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup I sam 8;
10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a
king. 11
He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your
sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front
of his chariots.
12
Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and
others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons
of war and equipment for his chariots.
13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14
He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them
to his attendants.
15
He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials
and attendants.
16
Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use.
17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
18
When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen,
and the LORD will not answer you in that day."
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king
over us. 20
Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out
before us and fight our battles."
Does the above sound somewhat abstract? Well, let me hit you between the eyes, so to speak, with The Message Bible presentation of verses 1018 from I Samuel 8
BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup I sam 8;
So Samuel told them, delivered God's warning to the people who were asking him to give them a king. He said, "This
is the way the kind of king you're talking about operates. He'll take your sons and
make soldiers of them—chariotry, cavalry, infantry, regimented in battalions and
squadrons. He'll put some to forced labor on his farms, plowing and harvesting, and
others to making either weapons of war or chariots in which he can ride in luxury.
He'll put your daughters to work as beauticians and waitresses and cooks. He'll conscript
your best fields, vineyards, and orchards and hand them over to his special friends.
He'll tax your harvests and vintage to support his extensive bureaucracy. Your prize
workers and best animals he'll take for his own use. He'll lay a tax on your flocks
and you'll end up no better than slaves. The day will come when you will cry in desperation
because of this king you so much want for yourselves. But don't expect
God to answer."
And today our trust in the things of man, rather than that of God, costs us even more -- and yet we ask more and more from government and other man-made entities believing that somehow they can make things better. Can they make things better other than on the surface? Well, we know the answer to that, but we still ask and demand.
Obviously, we haven't learned from history. We, slowly but surely, have to learn the same lessons the Israelites discovered as we move on in our daily readings.
Before granting their wish, however, God had this warning (and does it not sound much like what we are facing today in seeking salvation from government by asking it to fulfill our needs):
Here is NIv's presentation of 1 Samuel, Chapter 8, verses 10-20:
BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup I sam 8;
10 Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a
king. 11
He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your
sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front
of his chariots.
12
Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and
others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons
of war and equipment for his chariots.
13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14
He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them
to his attendants.
15
He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials
and attendants.
16
Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use.
17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.
18
When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen,
and the LORD will not answer you in that day."
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king
over us. 20
Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out
before us and fight our battles."
Does the above sound somewhat abstract? Well, let me hit you between the eyes, so to speak, with The Message Bible presentation of verses 1018 from I Samuel 8
BibleGateway.com - Passage Lookup I sam 8;
So Samuel told them, delivered God's warning to the people who were asking him to give them a king. He said, "This
is the way the kind of king you're talking about operates. He'll take your sons and
make soldiers of them—chariotry, cavalry, infantry, regimented in battalions and
squadrons. He'll put some to forced labor on his farms, plowing and harvesting, and
others to making either weapons of war or chariots in which he can ride in luxury.
He'll put your daughters to work as beauticians and waitresses and cooks. He'll conscript
your best fields, vineyards, and orchards and hand them over to his special friends.
He'll tax your harvests and vintage to support his extensive bureaucracy. Your prize
workers and best animals he'll take for his own use. He'll lay a tax on your flocks
and you'll end up no better than slaves. The day will come when you will cry in desperation
because of this king you so much want for yourselves. But don't expect
God to answer."
And today our trust in the things of man, rather than that of God, costs us even more -- and yet we ask more and more from government and other man-made entities believing that somehow they can make things better. Can they make things better other than on the surface? Well, we know the answer to that, but we still ask and demand.
Obviously, we haven't learned from history. We, slowly but surely, have to learn the same lessons the Israelites discovered as we move on in our daily readings.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Sunday School Audio Presentations from Thomas Constable
Today's reading in
http://bdmsmith.wordpress.com/
is 1 Samuel, chapters 1 and 2. Samuel, as we soon will discover, is a transition book in the Old Testament as the Jews reject God as their King in asking for an earthly ruler much as other nations.
In
Dr Constable's Introduction to his notes,
we are directed to a page of
MP3 Audio Bible Study Lessons
which Constable delivered to a Sunday school class
he teaches. Included are lessons on
1 Samuel
and
2 Samuel.
I just listened to the first presentation in the 1 Samuel Sunday School series and see why his seminary students consider him to be a topnotch instructor.
It is also gracious of him, along with Chuck Smith, to make so much high quality material available free for the download.
http://bdmsmith.wordpress.com/
is 1 Samuel, chapters 1 and 2. Samuel, as we soon will discover, is a transition book in the Old Testament as the Jews reject God as their King in asking for an earthly ruler much as other nations.
In
Dr Constable's Introduction to his notes,
we are directed to a page of
MP3 Audio Bible Study Lessons
which Constable delivered to a Sunday school class
he teaches. Included are lessons on
1 Samuel
and
2 Samuel.
I just listened to the first presentation in the 1 Samuel Sunday School series and see why his seminary students consider him to be a topnotch instructor.
It is also gracious of him, along with Chuck Smith, to make so much high quality material available free for the download.
Dr Constable's Bible Study Notes
I was having a difficult time in relating Judges 17-21 (Friday's Bible reading) to the whole scheme of things.
So I first turned to
Pastor Chuck's Library
and found a Chuck Smith sermon on those 5 chapters from Judges .
I supplemented this with
Dr. Constable's Bible Study Notes and Commentary.
this latter resource, introduced to us by an assistant pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria who studied under Constable, come from DR Thomas L. Constable of the Dallas Theological Seminary. Written over a 25-year period, they provide commentary on all 66 books of the Bible, and contain
about 7,000 pages of material.
"Dr. Constable's Notes, also known as expository notes to Dr. Constable's seminary students, are intended
to help you to better understand the Bible.
This online version of Dr. Constable's Notes is available for anyone with Internet
access. The latest editions of all 66 books, accessed below on links to the Notes'
.pdf files, can be used for reading, studying, writing papers, quoting, teaching
a class or Bible study, etc."
For those seeking to do further research, these offer plenty of bibliographic references to boot. I am guessing that many a minister has used these in putting together a Sunday sermon.
.
So I first turned to
Pastor Chuck's Library
and found a Chuck Smith sermon on those 5 chapters from Judges .
I supplemented this with
Dr. Constable's Bible Study Notes and Commentary.
this latter resource, introduced to us by an assistant pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria who studied under Constable, come from DR Thomas L. Constable of the Dallas Theological Seminary. Written over a 25-year period, they provide commentary on all 66 books of the Bible, and contain
about 7,000 pages of material.
"Dr. Constable's Notes, also known as expository notes to Dr. Constable's seminary students, are intended
to help you to better understand the Bible.
This online version of Dr. Constable's Notes is available for anyone with Internet
access. The latest editions of all 66 books, accessed below on links to the Notes'
.pdf files, can be used for reading, studying, writing papers, quoting, teaching
a class or Bible study, etc."
For those seeking to do further research, these offer plenty of bibliographic references to boot. I am guessing that many a minister has used these in putting together a Sunday sermon.
.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Weekly Bible Readings Updated
Bruce Smith has now updated
Bruce’s Chronological Bible Project
for the week of March 22 through 28.
My guess as where to begin the week was on target. Today, Wednesday, we switch to Ruth chapters 1 to 4 before returning to Judges 13 on Thursday.
Bruce’s Chronological Bible Project
for the week of March 22 through 28.
My guess as where to begin the week was on target. Today, Wednesday, we switch to Ruth chapters 1 to 4 before returning to Judges 13 on Thursday.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Readings for the Week and a Bible Overview Series from FBC Huntsville
No reading plan yet posted in
Bruce’s Chronological Bible Project
for this week.
Therefore, what I have decided to do is use an old rule thumb I heard 25 or so years back. To read the Bible in a year, read 3 chapters a day, 5 on Sunday -- 23 chapters in a week.
So far, this week I have done 9 chapters beginning with Judges 4 and going through Judges 12.
A reminder note that
Pastor Chuck's Library
offers several hundred full pulpit presentations discussing the Bible beginning at Genesis and running through Revelation.
Looking for something a bit shorter!
Another source of sermons covering the Bible books from the beginning to the end comes from
First Baptist Church Huntsville, Alabama in their
Foundations
Bible 101
series from late 2005 and early 2006.
In 21 sermons, beginning with "The Creation and the Flood" through the Book of Revelation, the listener is given an overview of the Bible.
"
Bruce’s Chronological Bible Project
for this week.
Therefore, what I have decided to do is use an old rule thumb I heard 25 or so years back. To read the Bible in a year, read 3 chapters a day, 5 on Sunday -- 23 chapters in a week.
So far, this week I have done 9 chapters beginning with Judges 4 and going through Judges 12.
A reminder note that
Pastor Chuck's Library
offers several hundred full pulpit presentations discussing the Bible beginning at Genesis and running through Revelation.
Looking for something a bit shorter!
Another source of sermons covering the Bible books from the beginning to the end comes from
First Baptist Church Huntsville, Alabama in their
Foundations
Bible 101
series from late 2005 and early 2006.
In 21 sermons, beginning with "The Creation and the Flood" through the Book of Revelation, the listener is given an overview of the Bible.
"
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Calvinism: One of Ten Ideas Changing the World Right NowIn its recent piece
In its recent piece
What's Next - 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now - TIME
Time, the Weekly News Magazine,
lists Calvinism as number 3.
This link
3. The New Calvinism - 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now - TIME
will take you to the page of specific interest.
The mention is likely spurred by Rick Warren's inclusion at President Obama's inauguration. Note also that July 10th will mark John Calvin's 500th birthday which should shed yet more spotlighting of Calvinism specificly and Christianity in general.
What's Next - 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now - TIME
Time, the Weekly News Magazine,
lists Calvinism as number 3.
This link
3. The New Calvinism - 10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now - TIME
will take you to the page of specific interest.
The mention is likely spurred by Rick Warren's inclusion at President Obama's inauguration. Note also that July 10th will mark John Calvin's 500th birthday which should shed yet more spotlighting of Calvinism specificly and Christianity in general.
KWVE Streams Many Calvary Chapel Ministries
This entry
K-Wave, SoCal
from
http--allthingchristianhere.blogspot.com-
reminds us of a source of programming from various Calvary Chapel ministries.
Click this link
K-WAVE 107.9 FM
for the station's lineup.
I have this link
KWVE mp3 Listen Link
bookmarked for the audio stream.
K-Wave, SoCal
from
http--allthingchristianhere.blogspot.com-
reminds us of a source of programming from various Calvary Chapel ministries.
Click this link
K-WAVE 107.9 FM
for the station's lineup.
I have this link
KWVE mp3 Listen Link
bookmarked for the audio stream.
Christ Among other Gods on "Running To Win" with Irwin W. Lutzer
Watch Oprah or some other contemporary tv talk fest and, sooner or later, some guest or host will remark that all roads lead to God or that all religious belief systems are equal. The host gushes in approval, and the audience claps its support at this seeming enlightened approach to things. Only one problem, of course, is that we, as Christians, knows that all the other roads lead to nowhere despite man's desires to the contrary regardless what any of us wish to believe in our pluralistic society.
Into this background steps in Irwin Lutzer, longtime pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, with his latest
Running to Win - Long Version
series "Christ among other gods" showing us that Christ is supreme.
The series consists of 8 messages broadcast over 16 shows with the first broadcast airing on Friday, March 13 running through Friday, April 3.
\The show airs on hundreds of radio stations including the Moody family of owned and affiliated stations most of which stream their programming via the internet.
To subscribe to Running To Win via podcast, enter this url into your favorite podcatcher program:
http://podcast.oneplace.com/Running_To_Win_Long_Version/3047370.xml
The last 7 broadcasts can be obtained through the feed.
A more extensive archive can be found at this link:
Running to Win - Long Version (Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer) - Broadcast Archives
The series is based on Lutzer's 1994 book of the same title published by Moody Press, Chicago.
Into this background steps in Irwin Lutzer, longtime pastor of Moody Church in Chicago, with his latest
Running to Win - Long Version
series "Christ among other gods" showing us that Christ is supreme.
The series consists of 8 messages broadcast over 16 shows with the first broadcast airing on Friday, March 13 running through Friday, April 3.
\The show airs on hundreds of radio stations including the Moody family of owned and affiliated stations most of which stream their programming via the internet.
To subscribe to Running To Win via podcast, enter this url into your favorite podcatcher program:
http://podcast.oneplace.com/Running_To_Win_Long_Version/3047370.xml
The last 7 broadcasts can be obtained through the feed.
A more extensive archive can be found at this link:
Running to Win - Long Version (Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer) - Broadcast Archives
The series is based on Lutzer's 1994 book of the same title published by Moody Press, Chicago.
Friday, March 20, 2009
How Do I Know I'm Saved?
An issue I wrestle with on an ongoing basis is
How Can I Really Know I'm Saved.
Why, You might ask? Well, I don't wish to be mistaken given the consequences if I was wrong.
Thus , when I come across a sermon by such a title, as I did in the
Sermons OnLine Library
of
OcalaFirst Church of the Nazarene
in Florida, I pay attention.
Preached on Sunday March 8 by Senior Pastor Barry Dunlap, the sermon uses Hebrews 10 beginning at Verse 19 as its text.
There are 4 key points extensively elaborated on in the presentation which serves as a guideline to knowing that one is saved:
(1) I have a bold confidence to enter into God's presence.
Note the term confidence, not arrogance.
My confidence is in the Blood of Jesus Christ.
(2) I have boldness to confess Christ.
I confess that he is my risen Saviour and Lord.
(3) I genuinely Love God's people and
The love for God's people transcends everything else.
(4) I am homesick for a place I have never ben to namely heaven.
How Can I Really Know I'm Saved.
Why, You might ask? Well, I don't wish to be mistaken given the consequences if I was wrong.
Thus , when I come across a sermon by such a title, as I did in the
Sermons OnLine Library
of
OcalaFirst Church of the Nazarene
in Florida, I pay attention.
Preached on Sunday March 8 by Senior Pastor Barry Dunlap, the sermon uses Hebrews 10 beginning at Verse 19 as its text.
There are 4 key points extensively elaborated on in the presentation which serves as a guideline to knowing that one is saved:
(1) I have a bold confidence to enter into God's presence.
Note the term confidence, not arrogance.
My confidence is in the Blood of Jesus Christ.
(2) I have boldness to confess Christ.
I confess that he is my risen Saviour and Lord.
(3) I genuinely Love God's people and
The love for God's people transcends everything else.
(4) I am homesick for a place I have never ben to namely heaven.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Signs of Christ's Return as in the Days of Noah
In this blog entry,
Thoughts From Pastor Lloyd Pulley Signs of Christ's Return - As in the Days of Noah
this New Jersey pastor references a Chuck Smith article on the above topic.
This will not provide any new insights to the well-read Bible student, but does serve for a nice intro and summary for those that have never considered this to be the case.
While every generation seems to believe that it may be in the "last days," (and, of course, to this point have been proven to be in error), it is hard to dismiss the suggestion given current world conditions and our responses to them.
Thoughts From Pastor Lloyd Pulley Signs of Christ's Return - As in the Days of Noah
this New Jersey pastor references a Chuck Smith article on the above topic.
This will not provide any new insights to the well-read Bible student, but does serve for a nice intro and summary for those that have never considered this to be the case.
While every generation seems to believe that it may be in the "last days," (and, of course, to this point have been proven to be in error), it is hard to dismiss the suggestion given current world conditions and our responses to them.
Isaiah Now the Focus of Chuck Smith's "The Word For Today"
Chuck Smith's
The Word For Today
this week moved into the book of Isaiah. The first date of Isaiah is Monday, March 16 with an introduction into the Old Testament's longest book of prophecy.
To subscribe to the daily podcasts, either click on the podcast button on the site's main page, or enter the following into your podcatcher:
http://podcast.twft.com/daily/
The latest 25 shows can be retrieved via the podcast feed.
The Word For Today
this week moved into the book of Isaiah. The first date of Isaiah is Monday, March 16 with an introduction into the Old Testament's longest book of prophecy.
To subscribe to the daily podcasts, either click on the podcast button on the site's main page, or enter the following into your podcatcher:
http://podcast.twft.com/daily/
The latest 25 shows can be retrieved via the podcast feed.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Science and Science Fiction, A Threat to Christianity?
James Herrick, a Communications professor at Hope College, Holland, MI, is the author of
Scientific Mythologies: How Science and Science Fiction Forge New Religious Beliefs
He was a guest earlier today on AFR's "Family Issues Today" program during the program's first hour.
To listen to Sherry Black and Ray Pritchard interview Herrick, click on
Todays Radio for Life - American Family Radio
and look for the broadcast date 03/18/09.
Frankly, this is something that never had occurred to me but could quite obviously very easily undermine one's beliefs without even being conscious of it.
Perhaps it is a good thing that science fiction has seldom attracted my interest.
The book is published by Intervarsity Press (2008) and is available through numerous sources including Amazon.com and Booksamillion. Club price at the latter is $15.63 while Amazon shows it for a penny more, $15.64.
Scientific Mythologies: How Science and Science Fiction Forge New Religious Beliefs
He was a guest earlier today on AFR's "Family Issues Today" program during the program's first hour.
To listen to Sherry Black and Ray Pritchard interview Herrick, click on
Todays Radio for Life - American Family Radio
and look for the broadcast date 03/18/09.
Frankly, this is something that never had occurred to me but could quite obviously very easily undermine one's beliefs without even being conscious of it.
Perhaps it is a good thing that science fiction has seldom attracted my interest.
The book is published by Intervarsity Press (2008) and is available through numerous sources including Amazon.com and Booksamillion. Club price at the latter is $15.63 while Amazon shows it for a penny more, $15.64.
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