EQUIP!
  • Home
  • About
  • Ministries
    • Equipping Seminarians @ BBSI
    • Equipping TCKs @ Faith Academy
    • Equipping God's People at EBC >
      • Men's League at EBC
      • Ladies' League at EBC
      • Basketball Clinic Outreach
    • Equipping Preachers & Evangelists >
      • Preachers' Coalition
      • Expository Enrichment Groups
      • Apologetic Aptitude Groups
    • Sufficiency of Scripture Group
    • Equipping Via Seminars & Workshops >
      • Sufficient of Scripture Seminar
      • Approved Workmen Training
      • Common Church Issues Workshop
      • Peacemakers Training
      • Truth-Bearers Project
    • Other Equipping & Outreaches >
      • The Panata Zone
      • Translation Ministry
  • Manila E-quipper
  • Give
  • Pray
  • Sermons & Messages
  • Contact
  • FAQ
  • EXALTING CHRIST! Blog
  • The Literarian

Exalting  christ!

The Men wrote the scriptures were not inspired by god!

9/3/2022

0 Comments

 
This quote from Ligonier Ministries has much truth within it...
"Scripture finds its origin in the mind and character of the Creator so much so that His very words have been “breathed out” for all to hear. When we breathe out in our speech we speak audibly, and when the Lord God Almighty breathed out in speech long ago, His Word was written down by the apostles and prophets."  

I believe that the Lord superintended all that He wanted to say to us, but that it is the Scriptures themselves which are inspired and not the men.  Consider what is written in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 as Paul explained to Timothy what exactly is inspired by God and how. This is vital to help us stand firm against temptation, to know what confession is all about, to receive assurance of our salvation and to be able to trust the Lord's trustworthy Words in His amazingly inspired Book of books!  
​

https://g3min.org/the-men-who-wrote-scripture-were-not-inspired-by-god/

Here in this article from G3 we find a greater degree of assurance about the details of the doctrine of Inspiration.  May it be for us another stepping stone towards trusting in His promises found in His Word to us.  Click on the above link or on the picture/quote below from J.C. Ryle.  Note:  the final article about this doctrine of Inspiration will follow soon...

Blessings!  Pastor Robert 
Picture
0 Comments

What is inspiration?

7/6/2022

0 Comments

 
Today begins a series of blog post considerations related to the characteristic of the Scriptures known as "Inspiration". It is vital doctrine (2 Timothy 3:16-17) to help us stand each day on the authority of the Word of God as our sole authority in faith and practice of service and worship.

This doctrine interconnects and gives credence to the doctrine of the Bible's revelation to us from and of God Himself. Every part of the Scriptures is inspired from Him as he used the various writers to reveal all He wants us to know.
​

Key in this is the concept of it being a written witness forever (Isaiah 30:8), which means that He preserves it forever and it is trustworthy as a witness to all He wants us to know from Him in this supernatural written transmission of His will and actions!
Another aspect of this doctrine is in its details of being connected to the character of God Himself (perfect and incapable of error) and inerrancy. With that in mind I think a short quote from this article is very helpful:   "...if all Scripture is God-breathed, i.e., it is the product of God and proceeds from God Himself, and if God is incapable of error, then Scripture must include no error in anything that it affirms. Of course, the Bible might inerrantly record the errors that others have committed (and it does), but the Bible does not affirm those errors. A necessary consequent of verbal, plenary inspiration is the inerrancy of Scripture."

https://g3min.org/inspiration/?fbclid=IwAR3U8siN7y4CNGCHS7oUecnFhVPsLZIhn1FpD7HWhZ3TBxeQgsYOjUWBETI
​
I hope that this series will not come only from one source when I post links, but here in 2022 the G3 Blog guys have provided some very solid but short articles on this doctrine. I intend to post links to other blog articles which I have found and which I have been reading and re-reading about this doctrine of the Inspiration of Scripture as well.  Just click on the above link or the picture/quote below to find this G3 Blog article.
​

Blessings! Pastor Robert

Picture
0 Comments

Is Christ in every text?

6/7/2022

0 Comments

 
It is so important these days to test certain postulations for exegesis and hermeneutics (ie: studying & interpreting Scripture) as there are many who have brought the church and pulpit ministry into the use of allegory. How did we come to this?

Didn't that battle get fought and won or lose out to proper exegesis a long time ago with some of the church fathers? No, not exactly. Allegory comes to us today with the fast and loose interpretation methods of postmodernists. It's rather sinister if one stops to think about it and we know the evil one is behind it just as he was in the garden when he questioned the very words of God (Gen. 3).

https://g3min.org/is-christ-in-every-text/

Here in this very important blog article by Dr. Chip Thornton we see what has been happening and how. He says this, "We agree the whole Bible centers on Christ in this way: Every text in Scripture “points” to Christ. However, to dig underneath the text for a deeper (oftentimes, superimposed) Christo-centric meaning is allegory."

I highly recommend that we delve deeply into this very concerning 21st century phenomenon. Yet, there is "nothing new under the sun" and so what we have here is again a challenge to God's trustworthy Word.
​
Blessings! Pastor Robert
Picture
0 Comments

The Source and sufficiency of scripture!

2/12/2022

0 Comments

 
It is quite important that we maintain our attention on the Word of God and even more so as we appear to be experiencing the last days. Scriptures sufficiency has never been more important to focus on and knowing how others have depended upon God's Word for personal need and proclamation of the gospel and truth inspires us to do the same.

https://g3min.org/source-sufficiency-scripture/

Here is an article from G3 Ministries and Dr. Josh Buice gives us a fantastic treatment of the Source and Sufficiency of Scripture. I particularly like his illustration of Calvin's use of the Word in ministry and also the reference of Bunyan's The Pilgrim's Progress. May it be for you a strong encouragement today.
​
Blessings! Pastor Robert
Picture
0 Comments

This truth Matters more than all the rest!

2/11/2022

0 Comments

 
I'm kind of on the run at the moment, trying to catch up on things...
My regimen is to get going by 5:30-ish in the morning and before getting on to work for the day:
~ Drive to a local coffee shop listening to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones for 15 minutes there and then the same going home later.

~ Devotions in Dr. Paul Enns' book Approaching God: Daily Reflections for Growing Christians.  Now also adding into it John MacArthur's "The Heart of of the Bible", where he looks at 52 of the most key passages about the crux of the Bible (or 1 per week).

~ Work on my Miscellanies Project in Hebrews, Jude and 1 Thessalonians (not everyday), which is a deep dive study recording in my journals (see YoutTube, Matthew Everhard, Best Bible Study Method Ever for more info).

~ Read a couple blog articles or watch a short clip on such things as Bible exposition & interpretation, sufficiency of Scripture, shepherding principles or apologetics.
Among these are other things that are part of this regimen such as reading Romans twice in a week and then chapters out of major sections of the OT and NT.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0zInUIjjUs

It is the last of these, apologetics, where today I found a very important short testimony by the "Cold-Case Christianity Guy", J. Warner Wallace. He is answering the issue of "This Truth Matters More than all the Rest", using his testimony and methods of investigation as a detective, or in essence, apologetics. I hope it is an inspiration to you as it was to me today.
Blessings! Pastor Rob
0 Comments

The Best Note-taking system ever!

1/14/2022

0 Comments

 
Finding ways to establish a system of study and seeking to refine that along the way will help boost our exegetical efficiency and result in improvement in our expository preaching. 

The best Bible study, note-taking system I have come across ultimately comes from Jonathan Edwards, but I was exposed to it through a Presbyterian pastor and preacher, Dr. Matthew Everhard, on his YouTube channel.  There he instructs us on this updated system which he learned from his scholarly study of the Puritan preacher, Jonathan Edwards and it is known as the Miscellanies.

I am personally personally engaged on my own Miscellanies Project as I use it to focus on key verses from Bibliology, Christology, Soteriology, etc.  In addition to this, I am using it to focus on key passages in Hebrews, and all of Jude, 1 & 2 Thessalonians and Titus.  It's time consuming but well worth doing it several days every week. I have also required my students to adopt their own Miscellanies  so as to expose them to this method and enrich their study of God's Word. 

Following Dr. Everhard's example, this can be done very miscellanies-like (meaning: mixed; various with your own choice of passages). Or, one can be more methodical like focusing on a theme like all verses related to the importance of the cross & the  atonement or justification by faith or sanctification.
​
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=fqq-4-LiFVs&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR24enVujhJUBKklMcXkzMXeL73a9CEVTSrDwb-kjIGTdZ9EOzbxJ_o-Ruo

Anyway this is the most awesome system I’ve come across!  Have fun and make a plan!

Blessings! Pastor Robert
0 Comments

knowing the times! ... new Dead sea scrolls discovery!

1/13/2022

0 Comments

 
Hey there! I am overjoyed at the response to the launching of this new group!  We are now at 105 members! So, welcome!

Did you see this...It's from March of 2021, but you might have missed it. I think it is important to keep ourselves aware of what God is doing in the realm of archeology and I have always had an interest in information about the discoveries related to the Dead Sea Scrolls.  It's just fascinating that the Lord continues to provide us with evidence and proof of the Bible.  The significance of it all goes a long way for our confidence and assurance in our walk of faith.

I believe it is a fulfillment of His promise made to us through Isaiah 30:8 that He would leave us a WRITTEN WITNESS FOREVER. What better way to give veracity and validity to His Word than to provide us with archeological support and evidence?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xyQiqoieTM&t=337s

Here I have posted a link to this 11-minute clip from "The Watchman Newscast" with Erick Stakelbeck entitled "New Dead Sea Scrolls Discovered in Israel's Qumran Caves"! This cave is quite hard to get to and you'll see someone dangling from a rope to get to it from the mesa above. This is the first discovery in Qumran among the Dead Sea Scrolls in 60+ years!!

I believe you too will be encouraged by this discovery and please take note of the first verses they have been able to determine already. We are encouraged to be watchful in the last days for His return, but also for those things that He will do to show His glory.

Blessings! Pastor Robert
0 Comments

On giants of the faith! ... Spurgeon Part 2

1/12/2022

0 Comments

 
  It is an interesting phenomenon when you think about it that a man who was such a prolific reader and writer, like Charles H. Spurgeon, would be such a great preacher and Bible teacher.

He didn't go to seminary, but he helped launch the Pastor's College through men in his congregation and sponsored it heavily through his constant teaching there. I have heard that a huge round wooden table was in his study and there were 10+ books stationed around it with bookmarks and a note pad.

Spurgeon would read, take notes and move on and he or a secretary would come by later and gather those notes to get them in the right location for future use.  He's not the only one I've heard this about...Jonathan Edwards had a similar desk and it is on display somewhere as well as a replica of it as well...google search and you can see it.

Someday I'll have one of those in my study. In the meantime and I just try to keep training my mind to be Bible saturated...and I still have trouble remembering more than 3 things on a list to buy at the grocery store for my wife. Spurgeon must have been a genius with a photographic memory (a rare and gifted combo!).

I hope you enjoy this part 2 of 5 Minutes of Church History, Spurgeon!  Click on the quote below to listen to the podcast or on the link.
Blessings! Pastor Robert
https://www.5minutesinchurchhistory.com/charles.../...
Picture
0 Comments

apologetic aptitude! ... who moved the stone?!

1/12/2022

0 Comments

 
Before the Covid came upon the world, I was re-reading key portions of the classic apologetic book by Frank Morison (real name: Albert Henry Ross), "Who Moved the Stone". I don't know if you have read it but if not, then you should try to find it and read it.

I first read it in college as a loaner from a friend.  Then, I found it for myself in a little second-hand London bookstore around the year 2000, in their attic (full of dusty books for sale) in a box in a corner shelf! - this was an awesome find, costing just  1.20pounds!)

Now I am reading it for a 3rd time, having found a good deal on an e-book of the same and I am loving it once again. Written in 1930 this makes it 91 years old ! (about the same age as actor Clint Eastwood! (he, he!).

https://jamesbishopblog.com/.../atheist-frank-tried-to.../

Well, anyway, here's a short review of it for your enjoyment and I hope you will find this apologetic classic to be effective for improving your apologetic aptitude

​Blessings! Pastor Robert
Picture
0 Comments

knowing the times! ... david's field in bethlehem!

1/8/2022

0 Comments

 
I am very thankful to see that after just a few months we have reached 105 members! Welcome to all!! My prayer is that these posts will be help you in your walk of faith and service for God as you discern truth in these dark days we are experiencing.
One for Israel is one of my most favorite ministries to learn from about the connection between Old Testament symbolism, typology, events and pictures with New Testament truth and fulfillment.

This is a ministry of those who are considered "completed Jews" as they have come to faith in Christ having recognized their sinfulness can only be forgiven by Jesus, the true Messiah who they have been waiting for.

Some prominent pastors these days are calling for the "unhitching" of the OT from modern 21st century Christians. Don't believe them!  What really needs to happen is a concerted effort to go deeper into understanding what God gave to us through all of His Scriptures and then we will see a more full and even saturated impact on the lives of 21st century believers.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5R4wOymh5Q&t=137s
Here is a short video from Dr. Erez Soref, the president of One for Israel, which was released in December 2020. In it he broadens our view of something extremely important as to how the Lord Jesus Incarnation was prepared for.

Notice that King David took the sacrificial lamb aspect of worship extremely seriously, even creating a field especially to care for them. Of course, the picture of it all was in anticipation of the Messiah's eventual arrival and then giving His life on behalf of sinners.

I pray this will give you greater encouragement as you seek to discern the Lord's truth in His Word. We should never "unhitch" ourselves from His Word ever. It would be a dishonor since He has meant it all to be a "written witness forever"!! See Isaiah 30:8 for more about that!
​
Blessings! Pastor Rob
0 Comments
<<Previous
    Picture

    Robert Thomas Clark, M.Div.

     ​This is the ministry blog of Robert Thomas Clark, It is designed to be a repository of inspiring, impactful & influential posts on biblical truth, themes and concepts, which brings insights and initiates inquisitiveness!. 

    I believe as the guys on "One-Minute Apologist" that we should be ready to provide "credible answers to curious questions".  

    ​I desire nothing more than to exalt Christ and to lead and equip others for ministry in exegetical method and expository preaching and following hard after Christ, even as I serve alongside many of them!.


     Life Verse:  
    “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”  
    ​ --- Colossians 3:17


    Inspirational Quotes:
    ​“There is no aspect of life but that the gospel has something to say about it.  The whole of life must come under its influence because it is all-inclusive; the gospel is meant to govern and control everything in our lives… We must realize the greatness of the gospel, its vast eternal span. We must dwell more on the riches, and in the riches, of these great doctrinal absolutes.”
    -- Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

    "The Bible.
    Know it in your head.
    Stow it in your heart. 
    Show it your life. 
    Sow it in the world."
    -- Dr. J. Vernon McGee


    ​I am a:
    ~ 
    Follower of Christ
    ​~ Missionary to Manila, PH
    ~ Called to Equip the next generation of pastors, preachers and Bible teachers!

    ~ Husband to Kim since '83!
    ~ Father of 6!
    ​~ "Paa!" to 7 Grandsons!

    Picture

    Archives

    June 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    January 2020
    September 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017

    Categories

    All
    Apologetic Aptitude
    Biblical Shepherding!
    Expository Enrichment!
    Knowing The Times!
    On Giants Of The Faith
    Pastor One Anothers!
    Pastor One-Anothers!
    Sufficiency Of Scripture
    Theology Lab!
    The Penny Pulpit

    Picture
    I Love The Philippine Eagles! Awesome Birds of Prey!

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    2m wingspan, 1m tall!
 "Everywhere we look in the Philippines the same conclusion is easily recognizable...
MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES STILL ABOUND!" 
 
~  Robert T. Clark, ABWE Missionary & Director of Equip!
​

About

Organization
History
​Contact Us

Ministries

@ The Seminary
@ The MK School
@ EBC

Get Involved

Financial Partners
Prayer Partners
​FAQ
Terms of Use
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • Home
  • About
  • Ministries
    • Equipping Seminarians @ BBSI
    • Equipping TCKs @ Faith Academy
    • Equipping God's People at EBC >
      • Men's League at EBC
      • Ladies' League at EBC
      • Basketball Clinic Outreach
    • Equipping Preachers & Evangelists >
      • Preachers' Coalition
      • Expository Enrichment Groups
      • Apologetic Aptitude Groups
    • Sufficiency of Scripture Group
    • Equipping Via Seminars & Workshops >
      • Sufficient of Scripture Seminar
      • Approved Workmen Training
      • Common Church Issues Workshop
      • Peacemakers Training
      • Truth-Bearers Project
    • Other Equipping & Outreaches >
      • The Panata Zone
      • Translation Ministry
  • Manila E-quipper
  • Give
  • Pray
  • Sermons & Messages
  • Contact
  • FAQ
  • EXALTING CHRIST! Blog
  • The Literarian