But as he hangs ‘twixt earth and skies,
He gives their prince a fatal blow,
And triumphs o’er the powers below.
~ Isaac Watts
The most frequent metaphor Scripture uses to describe daily Christian life is the metaphor of war:
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Do you believe words have real power? Most likely you'd agree that they do, but now let me refine the question: Do you believe that words have real, objective power? Do you believe that they have power not just to change minds and hearts, but that they have genuine, objective power in the created world? If that seems a strange question, bear with me while I explain...
This series of blog posts, as the title indicates, is about how women of God can, should, and must enjoy the pleasures of patriarchy. Last time, I promised that “for the next several months, Lord willing, we will look at how patriarchy is a place of pleasure for God’s woman…
These insights concerning the relationship between a pastor’s private and public duties should be a vital part of pastoral training. Seminaries spend most of their time and energy in cultivating a pastor’s public duties. This is only natural, since a student cannot be graded on his personal holiness, meditation on the Word, or willingness to suffer hardship. Skills related to a pastor’s public duties are much easier to evaluate and hone in a seminary setting. Potential pastors must certainly be taught the practical aspects of shepherding the flock...
Lo, by the sons of hell he dies;
But as he hangs ‘twixt earth and skies,
He gives their prince a fatal blow,
And triumphs o’er the powers below.
~ Isaac Watts
The most frequent metaphor Scripture uses to describe daily Christian life is the metaphor of war:
My wife and I are currently reading out loud together volume one of Iain Murray’s two-volume biography of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, “The First Forty Years.” (By the way, reading out loud is an excellent and profitable way to pass the time, but more about that on another occasion.) Whenever I read history, I find myself wondering at my own stupidity...
The work of pastoral ministry requires a man to have close personal involvement with others. The nature of this involvement depends on the need of the moment. Paul commands Timothy to be involved personally in the lives of people in many ways. He must “appeal” and “rebuke” and “reprove” and “exhort” and “speak” and “urge.” If a pastor is going to fulfill the duties of the ministry, he must heed these commands. A man is no shepherd who refuses to dirty his hands in the fleece of the sheep...
Cosmic Killjoy (noun): somebody who universally spoils others’ fun
The movie Avatar has created quite a stir. I have many friends and family members who have seen it and reported that it is sensational, even the most amazing film they have ever seen...
The majority of women today, myself included, would not admit to being fearful and anxious. Today we roll our eyes at the women of the past who fainted far too often and squealed much too high. Fear has become distinctly un-American. After all, in America what do we have to fear except fear itself?
Meditating on the Word enables a pastor to preach and teach
It is self evident that if a man desires to preach the Word, he must first know the Word. But this knowledge must not be the cold, academic, theoretical knowledge of the detached scholar. It must be the warm, spiritual, experiential knowledge of the meditator. “A faithful minister must see before he say.”[1]
The battle against porn starts while your son is still in diapers…