Gentlemen!
As you lead your family into this Christmas season 2024, here is a great video teaching by One for Israel on "Discover why Bethlehem - Trial and Promise in Christ's Birth". [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4ZxbKLxMJI] It's just 7 minutes and filmed on location as it connects the realities of life for Mary and Joseph, the Incarnation and the prophecies related to Christ's first coming! Please try and incorporate these truths into your teaching of your family and remember to involve your wife ahead of time too! Merry Christmas! Blessings!
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The church we attend lately does some things we really like during worship: a seriousness related to the truths of the message each Sunday, hymns which speak to and undergird those truths and the finishing of the service with our arms raised, palms up and the singing of that which is known as the Common Doxology. This particular doxology was written by Thomas Ken in 1674 and the lyrics are:
"Praise God, from Whom all Blessings Flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen! Known as Words of Glory, singing a doxology at the end of a service is a great reminder as we finish and we are sent off into the world again. I love the doxological expression of Paul in Romans 11 and I especially like the benedictions of Hebrews 13 and Jude 24. https://www.gty.org/library/blog/B241122 Here in this article from Grace to You Blog we are encouraged to focus our attention and thankfulness to God for His many blessings. The Common Doxology is one that helps us with our mindset. Blessings! One of the books that had such an impact and influence on my own Christian faith was "Who Moved the Stone" by Frank Morison (a pseudonym).
As the following review states, the appeal of the book is that it doesn't try to be so theological, but more as a presentation of the evidence from the main sources related the verifiable events and characters as well as related to Christ and His Resurrection. I especially like some of the things the author examines related to seemingly superficial things, which really are not (ie: The Book that Refused to be Written and The Historic Crux of the Problem). I especially enjoyed seeing the author's life changed by the real evidence, which reminds me of my own story to a large degree. The Lord used the author's skepticism and goal to refute and prove the Resurrection false and in the end the facts led him to salvation in Christ! https://londongrip.co.uk/2015/03/who-moved-the-stone/... The reading of older books more than the newer is a good habit to form and practice. Blessings! The new painting in the header of this blog is a recent find for myself because as I was reading John Stott’s “The Cross of Christ” it starts with the William Holman Hunt amazing depiction of Jesus as a carpenter. As the sun sets and Jesus stretches after a hard day’s work, and it displays the foreshadow of what will be and essentially what was the reason for His incarnation.
It is vital that, when we communicate the gospel of Christ’s forgiveness and new birth by faith alone and through Christ alone, that we include the heart and centrality of His great work on the cross. https://www.gty.org/library/blog/B210208 In this following series of blog articles by Grace to You and Dr. John MacArthur, known as “The Great Exchange”, we see the deep and comprehensive aspects of Christ’s Atonement! MacArthur writes, “Faithfulness to the Christian gospel demands that we never stray from the centrality of Christ’s atoning work on behalf of His people—fulfilling the law that we have broken and suffering the punishment that we deserve.” May it be a great encouragement to us as we ponder the many details and facets of His death on our behalf! Blessings! A critical and crucial area to know well in teaching and preaching God's trustworthy Word and His plan of Redemption (clearly an OT and NT thing!) is the place of the feasts in the OT as they point to Christ and God redemptive plans.
Since Rosh Hashanah or the Feasts of Trumpets begins today Sept. 15th at sunset and goes to sunset on Sunday, Sept. 17th. With this in mind and knowing that this feasts. Online Christian encylopedia GotQuestions says... "The Feast of Trumpets, along with the other six festivals of the LORD, foreshadowed certain aspects of the ministry of Jesus Christ. The prophets linked the blowing of trumpets to the future Day of Judgment: “Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand” (Joel 2:1; see also Zephaniah 1:14, 16)." In the New Testament, we see that the Lord’s Second Coming will be accompanied by the sound of a trumpet (1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). Each of the judgments in Revelation 8-9 is also signaled by a trumpet. Just as the shofar called the Jewish nation to turn their attention to the Lord and ready themselves for the Day of Atonement, so will the “trump of God” call us to heaven and warn the world of coming judgment. All we read and study the OT it gives to us a pictures of God's truths of the Lord Jesus Christ and redemption though Him. Follow the link to find the free booklet on the The Holidays of God - Fall Feasts. You can also find the Spring Feasts for free as well with a quick search. https://discoveryseries.org/.../the-holidays-of-god-the.../ Blessings! 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 There’s no substitute for using God’s Word for counseling. There’s always discipleship involved and the use of His truths which He has provided should be front and center.
https://g3min.org/the-sufficiency-of-scripture-for.../... Here’s a great short article on “The Sufficiency of Scripture for Counseling” and the author’s use of Scripture is really good plus citing of Dr. Heath Lambert. Click on the link above or the picture/quote below to read this article. Blessings! Pastor Rob I know that I started to emphasize the Lord's supreme attribute of holiness, but for a time I will focus on articles, videos and audios related to knowing Him by His attributes and personage and qualities. We must know what He is like.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzkXUNg5vYU Here is a 20-minute message by Dr. Steven Lawson on the Attributes of God. It is the beginning of a series but sets us on our course direction as we navigate the many aspects of what God is like. Blessings! One of the most quotable preachers in this day and age is Steven Lawson. If you haven't heard a message by him, then I suggest search YouTube or GTY org for his 2007 message (audio only at Shepherd's Conference) on "The Power and Passion of Apostolic Preaching".
Or, the 2015 Inerrancy Summit on "The Puritan Commitment to Sola Scriptura". But today I am providing a link to The Cripplegate Blog where the author elaborates on Lawson's 2017 messages on the metaphors the Bible uses about itself. I think you will enjoy it as much as I did! https://thecripplegate.com/seven-metaphors-for-gods-word/ Here's a quote from Lawson that is very significant...“Because the Word of God is inerrant, it is, therefore, by necessity, invincible. And because it is absolutely pure, it is absolutely powerful.” Blessings! |
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!. Archives
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