Jonathan Edwards and the Ministry of the Word
A Model of Faith and Thought – Douglas A. Sweeney. IVP Academic. “Jonathan Edwards has been recognized as the most influential evangelical theologian of all time. Accounting for this enduring impact, historian Douglas Sweeney shows how Edward’s profound and meticulous study of the Bible securely anchored his powerful preaching, his lively theological passions and his
Testing
Written by: Bill Elliff“After these things, God tested Abraham…” (Genesis 22:1) God is ruthlessly interested in your faith. He will use everything at His disposal to develop you into a person who trusts Him. He knows that your life, the life and salvation of those around, and His glory are all at stake. He knows
The Sovereignty of God
(This article was written in May of 2009.) As I send out this article, I learned last week that I have developed a serious health issue as a consequence of exposure to asbestos and other insulations. There are many more tests I must yet face, but regardless, this article is my response to and confidence
Must-See Summer Movies and TV Shows
It’s been a while since I did my movie and TV recommendations, so I thought it was time for us to catch up on movies we must see and TV shows we need to DVR. Of course, my thoughts on the movies may differ from that of the actual scripts… Star Trek – People gazing
P Is for Prophet (Part 2)
The Price We admire the ancient prophets from afar, and perhaps some of the prophet-like servants of God today, but we sometimes forget that each of them had a price to pay. Being a prophet means harder work. Jeremiah, Ezekiel and John the Baptist were born to be priests, but the Lord called all three
Ed Stetzer
Ed is the President of LifeWay Research, and his blog if full of valuable articles, research, polls, stats, and other findings. www.edstetzer.com 2ProphetU2ProphetU is an online magazine/website, started by Warren Wiersbe and Michael Catt, to build up the church, seek revival, and encourage pastors.
God’s Wisdom and Warnings Concerning Immorality
(from the series “Godly Wisdom for a New Millennium”) by Michael Catt Proverbs 5 I. The Problem Defined II. The Background Principles III. The Instructions for SexualityA. Don’t buy the lie.B. Don’t settle for second best.C. God’s Word is not for prudes; it’s for those who want to be pure.D. Having fun has nothing to
"To say 'lead us not into temptation' does not. . .mean that God himself causes people to be tempted. . . . First, it means 'let us escape the great tribulation, the great testing, that is coming on all the world.' [Second], it means 'do not let us be led into temptation that we will be unable to bear.' . . . Finally, it means 'Enable us to pass safely through this testing of our faith." - N. T. Wright
"Many assure us that Jesus really means 'keep us away from temptation,' or 'lead us out of temptation,' or 'remind us that you never tempt us.' Of couse none of these things is what Jesus actually said. He told us to beg God not to put us to a test, presumably because we would fail it. What a vote of confidence in us! What a vote of confidence in God! What a way to conclude a conversation!" - Telford Work
"If we spend all our effort on our own white-knuckled struggle against a temptation, it grows bigger and bigger." - Glen H. Stassen
"The way we tinker with our temptations and tweak our reasons for acting on them are indications that we actually enjoy dancing the tango with the Devil." - Albert Haase
"In praying to God to deliver us we acknowledge that God is greater than any foe of God. The power of evil must be admitted and taken seriously, yet not too seriously. Perhaps that is why, though the Lord's Prayer honestly focuses upon trial, temptation, and evil, it never mentions Satan by name." - William H. Willimon and Stanley Hauerwas
"There is no resistance to Satan other than flight. . . . Flee--that can indeed only mean, flee to that place where you find protection and help, flee to the Crucified." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Temptation
Which Great Speech Gets Your Attention?
The University of Florida has claimed that Tim Tebow’s famous speech during the 2008-2009 football season will long be remembered in Gainesville. But does it rank with some of the greatest sports speeches of all time? Here are some of the nominations on gameon.usatoday.com: Knute Rockne’s “Win one for the Gipper” at Notre Dame. Lou
The Undivided Christ
Does Jesus save us if we do not honor Him as Lord? Another way of asking the question is: can we accept Jesus as Savior and not submit to Him as Lord? This is not a new question, although it recently became a hot-button item among evangelicals. Several authors argued that a person can be
Spent or Wasted?
At the outbreak of World War II, Clark Poling followed in the footsteps of his father and volunteered to serve as an Army chaplain. In a letter to his family before his departure, Clark wrote, “I know I shall have your prayers. But, please don’t pray simply that God will keep me safe. War is
The Days Are Desperate, The Saints Are Not
It’s business as usual in the church today. As society races toward hell and judgment, the church can’t get a crowd to think, pray, study the Scriptures, or care for the lost. Think of the things that bother us enough to yell and talk back to the television, but don’t bother us enough to get