Tag: Bible

Expository Preaching:

~ A Prayer Life ~ Leave a comment

1. Emulates biblical preaching both in content and style.

2. Best achieves the biblical intent of preaching: delivering God’s message.

3. Promotes scripturally authoritative preaching.

4. Magnifies God’s Word.

5. Provides a storehouse of preaching material.

6. Develops the pastor as a man of God’s Word.

7. Ensures the highest level of biblical knowledge for the flock

8. Leads to thinking and living biblically.

9. Encourages both depth and comprehensiveness.

10. Forces treatment of hard-to-interpret texts.

11. Allows for handling broad theological themes.

12. Keeps preachers away from ruts and hobbyhorses.

13. Prevents the insertion of human ideas.

14. Guards against misinterpretation of the biblical text.

15. Imitates the preaching of Christ and the apostles.

16. Brings out the best in the expositor.

~ James Alexander

Bound Up In Love

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“…and pray for one another” ~ James 5:16b

“Our prayer must not be self-centered. It must arise not only because we feel our own need as a burden we must lay upon God, but also because we are so bound up in love for our fellow men that we feel their need as acutely as our own. To make intercession for men is the most powerful and practical way in which we can express our love for them.”

~ John Calvin

Free Indeed

~ A Prayer Life ~ 2 Comments

Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. ~ John 8:36

I love music, but I never learned to play an instrument. Yet, one of my favorite pastimes is listening to music. And though I never personally learned to play a guitar, the drums, a saxophone or piano, I can certainly appreciate the amazing talent, commitment, hard work and devotion that goes into mastering one of these or many other instruments.

Though I love music, I am not free to make music on my own. At least, not through instrumentation. Those who first train on those instruments, and take lesson after lesson for years, are the ones who are free to produce the wonderful sounds of rhythm and harmony who others, like myself, are not free to make on our own. In other words, it is only through the confining discipline of submitting oneself to the rigors of apprehending the musical instrument that one is truly free to play whatever they choose.

Likewise, it is only through submitting yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ that one becomes spiritually free. Until then, we are in bondage, in bondage to sin and confined to the limitations of our own sinful nature. Limited in our freedom to spiritually enjoy the richness of Christ. It is by discipline, apprehending, and submitting oneself to God that one truly tastes freedom.

The world will try to offer you it’s version of freedom. But it is a false freedom. It will seek to entice you with freedom from discipline, from responsibility, and from accountability to God and others. But this is not real freedom. Like the concert pianists who only through years and years of disciplined training is he free to play whatever he chooses, it is only through discipleship to Jesus that spiritual freedom ever comes. Freedom to love, serve and honor the Savior. But, once Christ sets you free, be assured dear friend, you are free indeed.

~ apl

Deal Truthfully

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Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD, But those who deal truthfully are His delight.

~ Proverbs 12:22

Christians should be known for their honesty. We ought to be a trustworthy people. In a day and age where a person’s word doesn’t mean much, where lying lips are too often the norm, the believer’s truthful dealings with his fellow man can stand out as a refreshing testimony for Christ. Delight your Lord dear friend, by dealing sincerely and truthfully in all that you do.

~ apl

Do Not Marvel

~ A Prayer Life ~ 5 Comments

“Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’

~ John 3:7

This proclamation from our Lord Jesus to Nicodemus in John chapter 3 still stand as the watershed declaration that separates true followers of Jesus Christ from the rest of the world. Jesus’ words sets Christianity apart from all else. To be Christ’s disciple, to be adopted into the family of the Lord, to be established in covenant with Jehovah God, you must be born again.

So what does it mean when the Bible says one must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven? Well, this is where knowing the original language can be helpful. The word translated here “again” means “from above”. The phrase could be literally translated “You must be born from above, or from a higher place”. The idea Jesus was conveying is that of a spiritual birth.

To be born again, that is, from above, means we are transformed in our very being, in our principles, our feelings, and our manner of life. The beginning of this new life is called the new birth, or regeneration. It is so called because in many respects it has a striking analogy to our natural birth. It is the beginning of spiritual life. It reveals the light of the Gospel. It is the moment when we really begin to live with any purpose. Being born again is the moment when God reveals Himself to us as our reconciled Father, and we as adopted sons and daughters.

Though this new birth is a work of the Holy Spirit, we realize this glorious regenerating grace through our own personal repentance and faith. Through this new life we begin to experience the living God in our life. That is, through turning away from sin and turning towards Christ. There is no other way to be reconciled to God. My prayer is, dear reader, that you already know, or come to know Jesus’ words as your own, “You must be born again”.

~ apl

Face & Overcome

~ A Prayer Life ~ 2 Comments

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”

~ 1 Corinthians 16:13

“True holiness does not make a Christian evade difficulties, but face and overcome them. Christ would have His people show that His grace is not a mere hothouse plant, which can only thrive under shelter, but a strong, hardy thing which can flourish in every relation of life.”

~ J.C. Ryle

Keep Your Soul

~ A Prayer Life ~ 1 Comment

“He who keeps the commandment keeps his soul”

~ Proverbs 19:16a

There is something spiritually healthy about keeping God’s commands near and dear to our heart and mind. The Word of the Lord, His Law, His principles and precepts, the wisdom of God, are all divine nourishment to the soul. They bring vitality and strength to the faithful. By keeping the commands, one keeps, nurtures and renews their very soul.

The application of this verse isn’t to be understood in a legalistic manner where we believe we obtain greater grace or spiritual position simply because we adhere to the Lord’s Word. Rather, believers should come to understand keeping God’s commands is a privilege and spiritual benefit. God’s Word is sustenance. Therefore, let us keep the command as we keep our soul.

~ apl

The Kingdom of God

~ A Prayer Life ~ 2 Comments

“He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God… because for this purpose I have been sent.”

~ Luke 4:43

“The whole of the preaching of Jesus Christ and His apostles is concerned with the kingdom of God.”

~ Herman Ridderbos

They Go Together

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“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…”

~ Philippians 2:12

“You cannot take Christ for justification unless you take Him for sanctification… You can no more separate justification from sanctification than you can separate the circulation of the blood from the inhalation of the air. Breathing and circulation are two different things, but you cannot have the one without the other; they go together, and they constitute one life. So you have justification and sanctification; they go together, and they constitute one life.”

~ A.A. Hodge (1823-1886)