Calvinism in the CSM - Reformation21 Blog

Calvinism in the CSM - Reformation21 Blog

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Poythress on Calvin

Good stuff...

Pentateuch Study 12

Our study concludes with this lesson overview of the book of Deuteronomy.

Quenching the Spirit

A thoughtful sermon on Quenching the Spirit.

Holy Week: What Happened on Monday?

Holy Week: What Happened on Monday?

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On Providence

...Ignorance of Providence is the greatest of all miseries, and the knowledge of it the highest happiness. (John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, 1.17.11.)

Pentateuch Study 11

We're winding down....



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God's Will For You

One of the best sermons I've heard in quite some time on the subject....



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Is European Exceptionalism the Context for the New Atheism? - Reformation21 Blog

Carl Trueman making us think again....
Is European Exceptionalism the Context for the New Atheism? - Reformation21 Blog

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Pentateuch Study 10

We continue our study of the Pentateuch...

Is Romans 8 the Best Chapter in the Bible?

An excellent short piece from Derek Thomas on Romans 8. (Thanks David Murray).

The best chapter in the Bible? from Puritan Reformed on Vimeo.

New Edwards Site

There's a new Jonathan Edwards website. Take a look.

[HT: Justin Taylor]

Relationships

Rev. Scott R. Wright
Ph.D.

Journaling

I have found over the years that journaling is very therapeutic for me. It's a way of "getting it out" if you will, a way of sorting out jumbled thoughts and arranging them for future reference. I journal everything and anything that my mind needs to sort out or moreover, meditate on. Indeed, these blogs are pseudo-journals for me. What I post here and on OMT is what I tend to be studying, meditating on, listening to, preparing for or laughing about. I like a good pen, too. You can keep your Bic blue ballpoints. Give me a nice pen with ink that flows smoothly and evenly. Moleskines are wonderful journals that come in all sizes that are great for recording whatever is on my mind. They're nicely bound and ready to travel wherever I go.

With this in mind it was gratifying to a come across George Grant's Facebook post this morning. Below is the video he shares with us on journaling. Thanks, George!

Dr. George Grant on Journaling from King's Meadow on Vimeo.

Another Great Library Tour

Another look at a pastor's study. This time it's Thabiti Anyabwile's library and study. Enjoy.

Thabiti Anyabwile - Study Tour from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

Like a Thief in the Night

An enlightening sermon on First Thessalonians 5:1-11.



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Psalm 43 from the Scottish Psalter

Psalm 43 is one of my favorite Psalms and it is simply beautiful in the Scottish Psalter. Some good meditation to begin the week is found within this Psalm.

Psalm 43

1Judge me, O God, and plead my cause

against th' ungodly nation;

From the unjust and crafty man,

O be thou my salvation.

2For thou the God art of my strength;

why thrusts thou me thee fro'?

For th' enemy's oppression

why do I mourning go?

3O send thy light forth and thy truth;

let them be guides to me,

And bring me to thine holy hill,

ev'n where thy dwellings be.

4Then will I to God's altar go,

to God my chiefest joy:

Yea, God, my God, thy name to praise

my harp I will employ.

5Why art thou then cast down, my soul?

what should discourage thee?

And why with vexing thoughts art thou

disquieted in me?

Still trust in God; for him to praise

good cause I yet shall have:

He of my count'nance is the health,

my God that doth me save.

Most of All

Keller on the Western Church

Tim Keller

Tim Keller offers some insightful thoughts and questions in his post, The Big Issues facing the Western Church.

They are,
1. The opportunity for extensive culture-making in the U.S.
2. The rise of Islam.
3. The new non-western Global Christianity.
4. The growing cultural remoteness of the gospel.
5. The end of prosperity?

I have been pondering this last point myself lately. What will we do with less money? How will we handle are own finances and those of our own local church? Keller asks discerningly, ...if we experience even one significant act of nuclear or bio-terrorism in the U.S. or Europe, we may have to throw out all the basic assumptions about social and economic progress we have been working off for the last 65 years. In the first half of the 20th century, we had two World Wars and a Depression. Is the church ready for that? How could it be? What does that mean?

Are we ready? Can we suffer through?

Pentateuch Study 9

We continue...



The Pentateuch: its meaning, message and application
Week 9 – Leviticus
I. Exodus summary – (Ex. 25–40) Israel receiving blessings: God gives His presence
a. Exodus 25-31 – God gives Moses the details of the tabernacle and of the priestly functions associated with it (Mosaic instructions from God)
b. Exodus 32-34 – Israel violates the covenant but Moses intercedes (Rebellion causes judgment)
c. Exodus 35-40 – A description of the construction of the tabernacle (Construction leads to blessing)
d. Conclusions
II. Leviticus
a. Purpose and meaning
i. Purpose – A holy God requires a holy people
ii. Meaning – Live the reality of your salvation in holiness
b. Outline
i. Lev. 1-25 (Regulations of Sacrifices, Priests, Cleanliness and Holy Living)
ii. Lev. 26 (Blessing and Curse)
iii. Lev. 27 (Regulations of vow)
c. Summary
i. Stipulations (Lev. 1-25) from narrow to broad
ii. Conditions
iii. Recommitment
d. Lev. 1-7 (Regulations of Sacrifices)
i. Purpose, focus and outline
ii. The 5 offerings
iii. Summary and conclusion
e. Lev. 8-10 (Regulations of Priests)
i. Purpose, focus and outline
ii. The worship
iii. Summary and conclusion
f. Lev. 11-16 (Regulations of Uncleanness)
i. Purpose, focus and outline
ii. Holy, common, clean and unclean
iii. Foods, childbirth, discharges, atonement
iv. Summary and conclusion
g. Lev. 17-25 (General Regulations of Holy Living)
i. Purpose, focus and outline
ii. Holy living in its spheres
iii. Summary and conclusion
h. Lev. 26
i. Purpose, focus and outline
ii. Blessings and cursings
iii. Summary and conclusion
i. Lev. 27
i. Purpose, focus and outline
ii. Vows
iii. Summary and conclusion

A Radical Disparity

One cannot long read the Scriptures sympathetically without noticing the radical disparity between the outlook of men of the Bible and that of modern men. We are today suffering from a secularized mentality. Where the sacred writers saw God, we see the laws of nature. There world was fully populated; ours is all but empty. Their world was alive and personal; ours is impersonal and dead. God ruled their world; ours is ruled by the laws of nature and we are always once removed from the presence of God. (By A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy, page 108.)

Assuming this is true, what are we as Christians living in this age doing about this?

Carl Trueman on Mercy Killing

Trueman on mercy killing. It's certainly worth a read.

On Election...

Election guards us from falling off the horse on other side. It guards against the error of thinking that we can earn our way into God's favor through "works of the law," since God's favor toward us is rooted in the free act of love before the foundation of the world. We cannot earn what God has chosen to bestow freely "before we had done anything good or evil" (Romans 9:11). It also guards us from the error of thinking that, in order for us to be loved freely and to be eternally secure, obedience must be optional, not necessary. Thus the incentive for holiness retains its urgency, since holiness is necessary (Hebrews 12:14); but it does not become a legalistic burden, because we serve in the strength which God supplies (1 Peter 4:11; see also 1 Corinthians 15:10; Romans 15:18). (From The Pleasures of God by John Piper, page 151.)

How awesome it is to know we have been chosen before time began (Ephesians 1:4) and that we have not been chosen on anything within or without ourselves.

Pentateuch Study 8

Sproul's Connection to Payne Stewart

Here is another view of a well known theologian's library and his memorabilia. We also find out about his connection to Payne Stewart.

R.C. Sproul - Study Video from Together for the Gospel (T4G) on Vimeo.

Godly Ambition

Spurgeon on Acts 8:30

“Understandest thou what thou readest?”

Acts 8:30

We should be abler teachers of others, and less liable to be carried about by every wind of doctrine, if we sought to have a more intelligent understanding of the Word of God. As the Holy Ghost, the Author of the Scriptures is he who alone can enlighten us rightly to understand them, we should constantly ask his teaching, and his guidance into all truth. When the prophet Daniel would interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, what did he do? He set himself to earnest prayer that God would open up the vision. The apostle John, in his vision at Patmos, saw a book sealed with seven seals which none was found worthy to open, or so much as to look upon. The book was afterwards opened by the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who had prevailed to open it; but it is written first-”I wept much.” The tears of John, which were his liquid prayers, were, so far as he was concerned, the sacred keys by which the folded book was opened. Therefore, if, for your own and others’ profiting, you desire to be “filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding,” remember that prayer is your best means of study: like Daniel, you shall understand the dream, and the interpretation thereof, when you have sought unto God; and like John you shall see the seven seals of precious truth unloosed, after you have wept much. Stones are not broken, except by an earnest use of the hammer; and the stone-breaker must go down on his knees. Use the hammer of diligence, and let the knee of prayer be exercised, and there is not a stony doctrine in revelation which is useful for you to understand, which will not fly into shivers under the exercise of prayer and faith. You may force your way through anything with the leverage of prayer. Thoughts and reasonings are like the steel wedges which give a hold upon truth; but prayer is the lever, the prise which forces open the iron chest of sacred mystery, that we may get the treasure hidden within. - C.H. Spurgeon

Not As We Deserve

Isn't a blessing that the Lord does not deal with us according to what we deserve (Ps. 103:10)?

Psalm 103

1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,3who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,4who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,5who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.
6The LORD works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.7He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel.8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever.10He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;12as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.13As a father shows compassion to his children, so the LORD shows compassion to those who fear him.14For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

Pentateuch Study 7

Our study continues...

Twilight?

Are you reading this stuff? Why?

Doug Wilson on the popular series of books and movies:

Ask Doug - What is Wrong With Twilight? from Daniel Foucachon on Vimeo.