Tag Archives: theology

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Of Kings and Kingdoms

September 16, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

It is interesting to note that narrative is the single most common type of literature found in the Bible. Perhaps as significant as the biblical stories themselves is the reality that we find God who chooses to communicate so much through story. There is much to see and hear if we will sit attentively before the Storyteller.

In the narratives of Daniel, we are introduced to a king in control and a kingdom in order. It is not insignificant that Daniel is introduced within this pleasingly ordered picture. As one of the three presidents serving just below the king, Daniel is a key player in the contented kingdom, and of this, the king is well aware. The narrative imparts, “Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other presidents and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom” (6:3). Interestingly, the word for “distinguished” here hints of a bright and excelling person with an enduring character, while the word for “excellent” denotes a surpassing and extreme spirit. In light of all that Daniel endures, from exile to injustice to the den of lions, no doubt these words were very clearly and deliberately chosen.

Interestingly, King Darius was not the only king to note in Daniel these distinguishable qualities. Through each chapter of the book of Daniel we see his successful climbing of the political ladder from captive prisoner to sage to chief sage to administrator over the province to the king’s personal adviser to third ruler in the kingdom.(1)

Daniel’s great success may well incite our power-revering, name-making minds to curiosity. What is it that really distinguishes a person among others? And what was it that set Daniel apart in such a way that kings of a kingdom in which he was a mere foreigner desired him close by as they ruled?

No doubt, we find in Daniel a man hopeful in the face of exile, a person of integrity in the midst of conniving injustice, a figure of prayer though Jerusalem lies in ruins, and a creature of endurance—from serving within the royal courts to crouching within the lions’ den. Truly, there is much that readers could presume from his quiet spirit, intense faith, and radical obedience. Daniel was distinguished in character, excellent in spirit, set apart in life and practice.

But the story offers a less speculative insight into the excellent spirit of Daniel. Significantly, everything King Darius says to Daniel throughout the entire narrative is in direct reference to Daniel’s God. The story powerfully points to God as the reason for Daniel’s distinguishable spirit in the eyes of a powerful king. And as Daniel speaks from the darkness of the pit after a night among lions, all agree, having now seen a more powerful crown. Daniel is distinguished because Daniel’s God, the Most High King, is distinguished. In fact the very first words Daniel speaks in the story are a proclamation of what God has done, “My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions.” The living God has accomplished what all others could not.

Though to many the divine throne appeared to be empty, Daniel stirred hopeful confidence in the redemptive plan of a powerful king who lovingly calls us into a bigger story.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) See D.N. Fewell, Circle of Sovereignty (Sheffield Academic Press, 1988).

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – What Does Partake Mean?

September 16, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Partakers of the divine nature.

2 Peter 1:4

To be a partaker of the divine nature is not, of course, to become God. That cannot be. The essence of Deity is not to be participated in by the creature. Between the creature and the Creator there will always be a fixed gulf in terms of essence; but as the first man Adam was made in the image of God, so we, by the renewal of the Holy Spirit, are in a diviner sense made in the image of the Most High and are “partakers of the divine nature.”

We are, by grace, made like God. “God is love”;1 we become love-“whoever loves has been born of God.”2 God is truth; we become true, and we love what is true. God is good, and He makes us good by His grace, so that we become the pure in heart who will see God.

Moreover, we become partakers of the divine nature in an even higher sense than this-in fact, in as lofty a sense as can be conceived, short of our being absolutely divine. Do we not become members of the body of the divine person of Christ? Yes, the same blood that flows in the head flows in the hand: And the same life that quickens Christ quickens His people, for “You have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”3 As if this were not enough, we are married to Christ. He has betrothed us to Himself in righteousness and in faithfulness, and he who is joined to the Lord is one with Him.

Marvelous mystery! We look into it, but who will understand it? One with Jesus-so much so that the branch is not more one with the vine than we are a part of the Lord, our Savior and our Redeemer! While we rejoice in this, let us remember that those who are made “partakers of the divine nature” will display this high and holy relationship in their relationships with others and will make it evident in their daily walk and conversation that they have escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. O for more divine holiness of life!

1John 4:8

21 John 4:7

3Colossians 3:3

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Storming the battlements

September 16, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“Go ye up upon her walls, and destroy; but make not a full end; take away her battlements; for they are not the Lord’s.” Jeremiah 5:10

Suggested Further Reading: Galatians 5:25-6: 5

We sometimes trust too much in evidences and good works. Ralph Erskine did not say amiss when he remarked, “I have got more hurt by my good works than my bad ones.” That seems something like Antinomianism, but it is true; we find it so by experience. “My bad works,” said Erskine, “Always drove me to the Saviour for mercy; my good works often kept me from him, and I began to trust in myself.” Is it not so with us? We often get a pleasing opinion of ourselves; we are preaching so many times a week; we attend so many prayer meetings; we are doing good in the Sabbath-school; we are valuable deacons; important members of the church; we are giving away so much in charity; and we say, “Surely I am a child of God—I must be. I am an heir of heaven. Look at me! See what robes I wear. Have I not indeed a righteousness about me that proves me to be a child of God?” Then we begin to trust in ourselves, and say, “Surely I cannot be moved; my mountain stands firm and fast.” Do you know what is the usual rule of heaven when we boast? Why the command is given to the foe—“Go up against him; take away his battlements; for they are not the Lord’s.” And what is the consequence? Why, perhaps God suffers us to fall into sin, and down goes self-sufficiency. Many a Christian owes his falls to a presumptuous confidence in his graces. I conceive that outward sin is not more abhorred by our God than this most wicked sin of reliance on ourselves. May none of you ever learn your own weakness by reading a black book of your own backslidings.

For meditation: If pride and boasting are listed as sins of the unbeliever (Romans 1:30; 2 Timothy 3:2), they are just as much sins when the believer falls into them. Our good works should lead others to glorify God (Matthew 5:16) and should surely have the same effect upon us.

Sermon no. 38

16 September (1855)

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – A Righteousness That Glorifies God

September 16, 2013 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

“Stand firm therefore . . . having put on the breastplate of righteousness” (Eph. 6:14).

We’ve seen the importance of donning the breastplate of righteousness, but Scripture also discusses the consequences of failing to do so. These consequences serve as warnings to anyone who is prone to neglect righteousness.

If you’re not committed to righteousness, you not only make yourself spiritually vulnerable, but also forfeit some of God’s wonderful blessings. David prayed, “Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation” (Ps. 51:13). His sin had robbed him of his joy and assurance. That’s true of us as well because joy is directly proportional to obedience. If you’re pursuing greater righteousness, you’ll know greater joy.

You might also forfeit some of your heavenly reward. John said, “Watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward” (1 John 8). I believe that New Testament rewards are various capacities for service in heaven. The greater your reward, the greater your capacity to serve God. Somehow your current righteousness and faithfulness to God affect what you will do for all eternity. Don’t allow sin and negligence to diminish your reward!

Without righteousness you will also suffer loss of opportunity to glorify God. When thinking or behaving unrighteously, you violate your reason for existence, which is to glorify God in everything (1 Cor. 10:31). Instead of exalting Him, you bring reproach on His name. Instead of causing others to see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matt. 5:16), you breed confusion and mockery.

Peter says to us, “Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts, which wage war against the soul. Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that . . . they may on account of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Pet. 2:11). When unbelievers scrutinize your life, what do they see? Does your righteousness testify of God’s saving and sanctifying grace?

Suggestions for Prayer:

Ask God to give you an increased hunger and thirst for righteousness as you seek to live to His glory today.

For Further Study:

Memorize 2 Corinthians 5:21 as a reminder of God’s marvelous grace to you.

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Defending Your Family against Spiritual Attack

September 15, 2013 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

God works powerfully through strong Christian families. But the enemy of our souls does not want to see parents and their children loving, supporting, respecting, and enjoying each other. Satan works to destroy healthy families and trap people in habitual sin. He especially targets children and young people. That’s why Christian parents needs to learn how to wage spiritual warfare on behalf of their children.

Spiritual Warfare in the Home

The enemy is constantly working to bring anxiety, frustration, compulsions, and fear into the home. When home life is miserable, kids grow up wounded and often rebellious. A family that is constantly feuding cannot minister to anyone else or actively serve the body of Christ. So if the devil can succeed in destroying a family, he can usually count on weakening the church as well.

Spiritual problems can manifest in your children as rebellion, depression, addictions, and a host of other sins. Our tendency is to address the outward symptoms of the problem, rather than the root. But these battles will not be won by common sense, worldly solutions, or harsh restrictions. Instead, we need to resist the devil’s plans with spiritual tools. Second Corinthians 10:3-4 says, “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.”

Waging spiritual warfare includes living godly lives, discerning what is going on within our families, and praying in the power of the blood of Jesus and with the authority of the Word of God.

How you live as a parent is extremely important to the spiritual success of your kids. When parents are living righteously before the Lord, there is a hedge of protection that surrounds that family. In the spiritual realm, you offer shelter as a parent when you seek after God, are just and fair in your dealings, and lead your family in worshipping God and learning about Him. But when mom or dad is living in willful disobedience to the Lord, the children will suffer. No one can live a worldly life and expect to raise godly kids.

Maybe Satan has trapped one of your children either as a result of your sin or because of outside influences. He might have that child bound in a stronghold, which is an area of a person’s life that is spiritually weak.Because Satan can easily get a victory by attacking there, he will hit that person again and again in the vulnerable spot. He might tempt one person to feel unworthy, another to escape with alcohol, and a third to burst out in anger too easily.

The good news is that as a parent, you are in a position to see the Lord move on behalf of your child and free him or her from strongholds. First John 4:4 says, “You are of God … and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than He who is in the world.” This means the Holy Spirit, Who is in us, is greater than Satan and can lead us to spiritual victory.

How do you limit the activity of the enemy in your child’s life?

First, clean up your own life. Spend some time alone with God and confess all known sin. Come to a point of complete surrender again. If you try to fight a spiritual battle while living in outright rebellion against God—even in a private area of your life—you will fail.

Second, identify the root problem. The symptom may be your child’s rebellion against authority, drug abuse, or some other addiction. But the root of the problem might be your child’s bitterness caused by parental neglect or another issue from the past.

Third, find scriptural authority for confronting the problem. When Satan attacked Jesus, our Lord countered the enemy’s lies with Scripture. We need to do the same. For example, in dealing with a bitter child, we could use Hebrews 12:15, which says, “See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled.”

Fourth, pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. This means you ask the same thing He would in your place and do it by His powerful authority. Praying in the name of Jesus puts the emphasis on His supernatural power and the authority He has delegated to His followers (John 14:13-14).

Fifth, pray to your Heavenly Father rather than talking to Satan. Keep in mind that you have no power on your own to bind Satan, but are simply declaring what has already happened in the spirit realm through the cross.

Sixth, it’s not enough to restrict Satan from using the stronghold—ask God to release your child from it. Putting this all together, your prayer might be:

Heavenly Father, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by His precious blood, I ask You to bind Satan away from the life of my son/daughter and to remove his/her bitterness. Father, You said we are to see to it that no one comes short of the grace of God, and that no root of bitterness should be allowed to spring up and cause trouble and defile many people. On the authority of Your Word, Lord Jesus Christ, and by Your blood, I want to pronounce Satan defeated—no longer able to hold my son/daughter captive to the sin of bitterness. Father, please release my son/daughter from the stronghold of bitterness. Liberate him/her from the unhealthy patterns that have him/her bound and free him/her to serve and obey You. Thank You, Father for saving and healing him/her. Amen.

Last, if you pray for a while and nothing changes, get some godly friends involved. Confess to them you need help. Admit that you have failed somewhere as a father or mother. Ask them to pray that God would reveal any area of sin in your life that you have previously been blinded to. Confess any sins this process uncovers and take any actions you need to. Then pray again in agreement with those friends that God would cause Satan to release your child from the stronghold and restore him or her to oneness with the family. Even gathering with one or two other friends greatly increases the ultimate success of your prayers (Matt.18:19-20).

You might not see results right away. What I’ve noticed is that the longer people have been bound in sin, the longer it usually takes to free them. But don’t give up. Keep walking in complete surrender to God and continue interceding for your child. The heart of the Father is turned toward your son or daughter, and He desires to bring freedom and restoration.

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Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – Adoption

September 15, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.” Ephesians 1:5

Suggested Further Reading: Romans 9:10-24

It is at once a doctrine of Scripture and of common sense, that whatever God does in time he predestined to do in eternity. Some men find fault with divine predestination, and challenge the justice of eternal decrees. Now, if they will please remember that predestination is the counterpart of history, as an architectural plan, the carrying out of which we read in the facts that happen, they may perhaps obtain a slight clue to the unreasonableness of their hostility. I never heard any one among professors wantonly and wilfully find fault with God’s dealings, yet I have heard some who would even dare to call in question the equity of his counsels. If the thing itself be right, it must be right that God intended to do the thing; if you find no fault with facts, as you see them in providence, you have no grounds to complain of decrees, as you find them in predestination, for the decrees and the facts are just the counterpart one of the other. Have you any reason to find fault with God, that he has been pleased to save you, and save me? Then why should you find fault because Scripture says he pre-determined that he would save us? I cannot see, if the fact itself is agreeable, why the decree should be objectionable. I can see no reason why you should find fault with God’s foreordination, if you do not find fault with what does actually happen as the effect of it. Let a man but agree to acknowledge an act of providence, and I want to know how he can, except he runs in the very teeth of providence, find any fault with the predestination or intention that God made concerning that providence.

For meditation: Some talk as if the doctrine of predestination is the enemy of the Christian. Scripture lists it as one of the “all things” that work together for good to them that love God and which prove that God is for us (Romans 8:28-31).

Sermon no. 360

15 September (Undated Sermon)

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Bad News?

September 15, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

He is not afraid of bad news.

Psalms 112:7

Christian, you ought not to be afraid of the arrival of bad news; because if you are distressed by such, you are no different from other men. They do not have your God to run to; they have never proved His faithfulness as you have done, and it is no wonder if they are bowed down with alarm and cowed with fear. But you profess to be of another spirit; you have been born again to a living hope, and your heart lives in heaven and not on earthly things. If you are seen to be distracted as other men, what is the value of that grace that you profess to have received? Where is the dignity of that new nature that you claim to possess?

Again, if you should be filled with alarm like others, you would no doubt be led into the sins so common to them under trying circumstances. The ungodly, when they are overtaken by bad news, rebel against God; they murmur and maintain that God has dealt harshly with them. Will you fall into that same sin? Will you provoke the Lord as they do?

Moreover, unconverted men often run to wrong means in order to escape from difficulties, and you will be sure to do the same if your mind yields to the present pressure. Trust in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him. Your wisest course is to do what Moses did at the Red Sea: “Stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD.”1 For if you give way to fear when you hear bad news, you will be unable to meet the trouble with that calm composure that prepares for duty and sustains in adversity.

How can you glorify God if you play the coward? Saints have often sung God’s high praises in the fires, but when you act as if there were no one to help, will your doubting and despondency magnify the Most High? Then take courage and, relying in sure confidence upon the faithfulness of your covenant God, “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”2

1Exodus 14:13

2John 14:27

John MacArthur

John MacArthur – Developing Practical Righteousness

September 15, 2013 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

“Stand firm therefore . . . having put on the breastplate of righteousness” (Eph. 6:14).

We’ve seen the importance of putting on the breastplate of righteousness as protection against Satan’s attempts to pervert your thinking and emotions. But Scripture speaks of three kinds of righteousness: self-righteousness, imputed righteousness, and practical righteousness. Which did Paul have in mind in Ephesians 6:14?

Paul wasn’t speaking of self-righteousness because that is what the breastplate of righteousness is designed to protect you from. Self-righteousness deceives a person into thinking, I can please God and reach heaven on my own merit. But Isaiah said, “All our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” (Isa. 64:6). Far from getting you to heaven, self- righteousness will condemn you to eternal hell because it rejects the merits of Christ’s atonement.

Similarly, Paul wasn’t speaking of imputed righteousness–the righteousness of Christ granted to every believer at the moment of salvation. It’s also called “positional righteousness” because it results from your position or standing in Christ. Second Corinthians 5:21 says that God made Christ, “who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Every believer is clothed in the garment of Christ’s righteousness. You don’t put that on. It’s already yours in Christ.

Only practical righteousness remains–that which flows from obedience to God’s Word. Although in God’s eyes you are righteous in Christ, you must also pursue righteous behavior. In other words, your practice should match your position. That’s what Paul meant when he said, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:13). John added that “the one who says he abides in [Christ] ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked” (1 John 2:6).

As you learn to live in obedience to God’s Word, you’ll be protected by the breastplate of righteousness.

Suggestions for Prayer:

Ask the Spirit to help you search your heart and reveal any self-righteous attitudes that might be making you vulnerable to Satan’s attacks. Confess them, then praise Christ for the true righteousness that is yours in Him.

For Further Study:

Read Romans 3:10-23. What kind of righteousness did Paul pursue?

Campus Crusade for Christ

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – A New Quality of Life

September 15, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“When the Holy Spirit, who is truth, comes, He shall guide you into all truth, for He will not be presenting His own ideas, but will be passing on to you what He has heard. He will tell you about the future. He shall praise Me and bring Me great honor by showing you My glory. All the Father’s glory is Mine: this is what I mean when I say that He will show you My glory” (John 16:13-15).

Steve asked me the question, “What is my number 1 priority as a Christian? I want to be a man of God, so I need counsel as to what I am to do first.” This is a good question for every Christian to ask.

The answer is simply: to glorify God. Jesus tells us how we can best do this in John 15:8, “By this is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples” (NASB). Or, as the Living Bible states it, “My true disciples produce bountiful harvests. This brings great glory to My Father.”

The Holy Spirit has come to be a witness to our Lord Jesus. When the Spirit controls our lives, we too will be witnesses for Him.

Witnessing for Christ with our lips is not only a natural result of being filled and controlled by the Holy Spirit, but also is a necessary act of obedience if we are to continue to experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

That which is most on our hearts is most on our lips, so if we truly love Christ, we will want to share Him with others. But God does not want or need the witness of individuals whose carnal lives fail to give credibility to their testimonies.

The greatest experience that has ever happened to any believer is to know Jesus Christ personally as Savior and Lord, to be forgiven of his sins and to have assurance of eternal life.

Therefore, the most important thing we can do to help another person is to introduce him to Christ. Only the Holy Spirit can empower us to live holy lives and be fruitful witnesses for Christ.

Bible Reading: John 14:16-26

TODAY’S ACTION POINT: I will ask the Holy Spirit to glorify God through the quality of my life and the witness of my words, as a demonstration of the supernatural life that I have received from God.

Presidential Prayer Team

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – Trust in Tragedy

September 15, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

King David and his wife had a gravely ill newborn. In desperation, David did what any God-fearing parent would do: he bombarded Heaven with prayers. He rejected all creature comforts. His advisers urged him to eat, but he wouldn’t even do that. The King’s period of grief began while the baby was still alive. Ultimately, David was informed of the infant’s death. Then he did something not every parent would do: he got up, took a bath, dressed in clean clothes, went to the house of the Lord, and worshipped.

And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not.

II Samuel 12:17

Puzzling reaction? Not when you consider that David was likely comforted by knowing he’d see his son again. He was confident the infant would spend eternity with the Lord – and with his child.

When you have occasion to be beside someone watching their child fight a mortal illness, the only comfort you can offer them is God’s eternal promised love for children. Encourage them to do as David did, and examine their own mortality and relationship with the Lord. Pray, too, for the children and families of your nation’s leaders…that they would find the God in whom David could trust in tragedy.

Presidential Prayer Team; C.H. – Stronger Together

September 13, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“You’ve gotta know someone.” Whether you’re trying to break into the music industry, get a contract for your book, or just want a new job, you may hear this phrase. When friends are willing to vouch for you, doors are more likely to open.

I will go out and stand beside my father in the field where you are, and I will speak to my father about you. I Samuel 19:3

True friends don’t expect benefits from a relationship, but are certainly willing to help when they can. David and Jonathan had that type of friendship. King Saul was wildly jealous of David and ordered his attendants and even his own son to kill David. But Jonathan willingly stood up for David to Saul, telling his father, “His deeds have brought good to you.” (I Samuel 19:4) As a result, the envious king backed down and allowed David back in his presence.

This nation is in desperate need of people who will stand alongside national leaders who choose to follow Jesus. They are stronger with your help. Pray for the courage to stand beside Christian leaders in political offices. As you speak out to bring them encouragement, reach out to lift each other up as well.

Recommended Reading: Ecclesiastes 4:7-12

Charles Stanley

Charles Stanley – Why We Lose Our Peace

September 12, 2013 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

Romans 12:3-10

One of the greatest enemies to peace is the entitlement mentality that’s widespread in our land today. Too few people are satisfied with their portion in life. Underlying this discontent is the false assumption that society owes them something or that their rights are being overlooked. This type of self-centered thinking can creep into businesses, marriages, churches, and other institutions, generating all kinds of discord and causing far-reaching consequences.

This is the type of situation that was developing in the 13th chapter of Genesis, when Abram and his nephew Lot were attempting to dwell in an area that was too small for the abundant holdings of both men. The pressure became so great that there was enormous strife between Abram’s herdsmen and those working for Lot. Something had to be done.

Abram in his wisdom eased the tension by offering Lot his choice of pasturelands (Gen. 13:9). Instead of fighting for his so-called rights, Abram chose the way of peace. He did what the apostle Paul advised centuries later when he wrote, “Give preference to one another in honor” (Rom. 12:10).

Did Abram lose out by being generous to Lot? Not at all. Take note of God’s words to the patriarch after he had willingly relinquished the prime territory to his nephew and departed (Gen. 13:14-15)—the Lord saw fit to promise all that land and beyond to Abram and his descendants. Our God blesses peacemakers (Matt. 5:9).

Our Daily Bread

Our Daily Bread — Beneficial Power

September 12, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

2 Chronicles 16:6-13

The eyes of the LORD run to and fro . . . , to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. —2 Chronicles 16:9

Boxing and strong-man competitions have a unique aspect to them. In the events, the athletes compete individually for the purpose of demonstrating their superior strength. It’s like arm wrestling—you do it to prove that you are the strongest person in the room.

One aspect of God’s glory is His almighty power. But how does He show His strength? He doesn’t do it by rearranging the galaxies before our very eyes, changing the color of the sun at a whim, or freezing a lightning bolt as a trophy to His strength. Instead, in His love and compassion for needy people like ourselves, God has chosen to “show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him” (2 Chron. 16:9).

The pattern is consistent throughout Scripture. From the dividing of the Red Sea, to the marvel of manna in the wilderness, to the miraculous virgin birth, and ultimately to the power of the resurrection, our Almighty God has chosen to demonstrate His strength to bless, preserve, and protect His people.

Be assured that He delights in showing Himself strong in the challenges of our life. And when He proves His power on our behalf, let’s remember to give Him the glory! —Joe Stowell

Lord, thank You for choosing to expend Your

divine power on the needs of my life. When my

strength is weak, teach me to trust that Your mighty

arm is able to guard, protect, and deliver!

All of God’s promises are backed by His wisdom, love, and power.

Bible in a year: Proverbs 13-15; 2 Corinthians 5

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Good Book

September 12, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

In publishing his godless Bible for those with no faith, A. C. Grayling may have expected a mixed reception. The ‘religious Bible’ (as he calls the Christian original) often sparks controversy, so one might have assumed that his would prompt a powerful reaction.(1)

But although eyebrows were certainly raised, support given, and criticism leveled, I couldn’t help feeling that there was something a little flat about it all. Perhaps it was because we were in the midst of celebrating the 400-year anniversary of the King James translation of the Bible with its majestic impact on the English language, that one struggled to muster any strong reaction to this book. One of the repeated observations made about Grayling’s moral guide for atheists is that it just doesn’t seem to be as good or interesting as the original.

Jeannette Winterson, author of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit, had this to say:

I do not believe in a sky god but the religious impulse in us is more than primitive superstition. We are meaning-seeking creatures and materialism plus good works and good behaviour does not seem to be enough to provide meaning. We shall have to go on asking questions but I would rather that philosophers like Grayling asked them without the formula of answers. As for the Bible, it remains a remarkable book and I am going to go on reading it.

Perhaps it has something to do with what seems to be a fundamental misunderstanding on Grayling’s part: the Bible is not merely a book containing moral guidance, as he seems to think it is. While Christians would say that it does contain the moral law of God and shows us how to live our lives, the actual text of the Bible is much more besides.

It is the history of a people and a grand narrative of redemption for all people. At its heart, it is the story of a relationship, and not a collection of platitudes. As the New Testament opens with God coming in human form, we encounter Jesus walking the earth, not simply to restate a moral code, but to offer us peace with God through himself. It’s about a personal God to encounter, not a set of propositions to understand or laws to follow. This is drama with a capital D.

The Bible also contains narrative history, at its most fascinating with well-preserved accounts recording personal perspectives on historical events. Whether it be a prophet like Jeremiah, writing in the 7th century BC, or the gospel writer Mark in the 1st century AD, this is compelling writing whatever our religious convictions. Who could not notice the honesty and detail of Mark’s turn of phrase when he recounts that “Jesus was in the stern sleeping on a cushion, the disciples woke him and said to him ‘Teacher don’t you care if we drown?’” (Mark 4:38). As history alone the Bible is compelling.

In as much as Grayling’s ‘Good Book’ cobbles together some of the finest moral teaching from our history, it will surely be useful to some. But from an atheist perspective is this really a legitimate task? Without God what is morality other than personal perspective or social contract? Do we need Grayling’s personal perspective any more than our own? And is he really in a position to tell us what a socially agreed set of morals should be? Great atheists of the past, like Bertrand Russell, rejected religious moral values arguing against overarching morality—do they really want Grayling to reconstruct one? “I don’t think there is a line in the whole thing that hasn’t been modified or touched by me,” he says. While his own confidence in his wisdom is clearly abundant, will others feel the same way? Readers might also note that from the 21st century, his is the only voice to make the cut and be included in the work.

In calling his worthy tome The Good Book, Grayling, perhaps unwittingly, references the story about a rich young ruler found in the Gospel of Mark. The man approaches Jesus and addresses him as “Good teacher.” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone.” Jesus preempts centuries of philosophical debate about the nature of morality and locates goodness as an absolute in the being of God. We are challenged to question: “Without God, what is goodness?” As the debate over his book continues it will be intriguing to find out how Grayling knows his godless Bible to be a benchmark of “goodness.”

In the meantime, no doubt the Bible will continue to top best-seller lists, and engage audiences spanning all ages, backgrounds, and cultures. I for one will keep reading it.

Amy Orr-Ewing is UK director of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Oxford, England.

(1) Originally printed in Pulse Magazine, Issue 8, Summer 2011, 10-11.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – God’s Jealousy For Believers

September 12, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

The Lord is a jealous and avenging God.

Nahum 1:2

Believer, your Lord is very jealous of your love. Did He choose you? He cannot bear that you should choose another. Did He buy you with His own blood? He cannot endure that you should think you are your own or that you belong to this world. He loved you with such a love that He would not remain in heaven without you; He would sooner die than have you perish, and He cannot endure that anything should stand between your heart’s love and Himself.

He is very jealous of your trust. He will not permit you to trust in yourself. He cannot stand the thought of you hewing out broken cisterns and neglecting the overflowing fountain that is always free to you. When we lean upon Him, He is glad; but when we transfer our dependence to another, when we rely upon our own wisdom or the wisdom of a friend-worst of all, when we trust in any works of our own-He is displeased and will chasten us, that He may bring us to Himself.

He is also very jealous of our company. There should be no one with whom we converse so much as with Jesus. To remain in Him alone, this is true love; but to commune with the world, to find sufficient satisfaction in our earthly comforts, to even prefer the company of our fellow Christians to secret fellowship with Him, this grieves our jealous Lord. He longs to have us abide in Him and enjoy constant fellowship with Himself; and many of the trials that He sends us are for the purpose of weaning our hearts from created things and fixing them more closely on Him who created everything. Let this jealousy that would keep us near to Christ also be a comfort to us, for if He loves us so much as to care about our love, we may be sure that He will allow nothing to harm us and will protect us from all our enemies. May we have grace today to keep our hearts in holy purity for Christ alone, with sacred jealousy closing our eyes to all the fascinations of the world!

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Spurgeon – The fatherhood of God

September 12, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

“Our Father which art in heaven.” Matthew 6:9

John MacArthur – Resisting the Devil

September 12, 2013 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

“Take up the full armor of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (Eph. 6:13).

Spiritual warfare has become a popular topic in recent years. Books, tapes, and seminars on the subject abound, but there is still much confusion. Some say we must rebuke and bind Satan to thwart his power and influence. Others say we must expel demonic spirits through “deliverance ministries.” Still others encourage us to band together to aggressively assault the strongholds of supposed territorial demons.

But spiritual warfare isn’t an outright frontal attack on the forces of darkness. Scripture says, “Submit . . . to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7); “Be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith” (1 Pet. 5:8-9). The idea that Christians have the authority to rebuke or bind Satan is foreign to Scripture. Even Michael the archangel treated him with more respect than that (Jude 9).

Spiritual victory involves submitting to God, pursuing His will, keeping your spiritual armor on, being on the alert for Satan’s attacks, and then standing firm and resisting him “in the evil day” (Eph. 6:13).

“Evil day” is a general reference to the sin that exists in this world. As the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4), Satan will continue to produce evil until he and his forces are cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:10-15). Then the evil day will give way to an eternal age of righteousness.

Countless people have pastored churches, taught Sunday School classes, led Bible studies, sung in choirs, and been involved in every conceivable area of ministry only to one day abandon their ministries and embrace the world. Somehow they stopped resisting the devil and lost the courage to stand firm.

How about you? Is your commitment strong? Are you willing to stand firm for the Lord today?

Suggestions for Prayer:

Ask God for the grace to boldly resist whatever might challenge your faith today.

Charles Spurgeon

Charles Stanley – The Source of Peace

September 11, 2013 broboinhawaii 1 Comment

Philippians 4:6-7

It is one of modern culture’s great tragedies: what many people seek and work so hard to achieve is, contrary to what they believe, not a product of all their accomplishments and effort. Millions of people are turning the world upside down looking for peace, while never realizing that the “genuine article” is simply not of this world. Money can’t buy it; success and fame can never guarantee it. Until you have peace with God, you will never experience inner serenity at all.

But here’s the good news: Since genuine peace is not dependent upon outward circumstances, it is possible to experience a tranquility beyond our comprehension, even in the midst of life’s most difficult trials. But this real peace isn’t possible unless there exists absolutely no impediment between us and God—and the only way the barrier of sin and self can be removed is by means of the cross of Jesus Christ.

If we’d simply bring our struggles and needs to the foot of the cross, we would find an abundant source of peace. A heart at rest is not rooted in some worldly principle or philosophy; it can be realized only through an intimate relationship with the person of Jesus Christ (Eph. 2:14-16).

The Devil will take every opportunity to destroy our calm by drawing attention away from Christ to things that may seem important at the time but in reality have no purpose other than to distract. Don’t waste your life looking for peace in all the wrong places—just remember, the Prince of Peace is its only true source.

Ravi Zacharias

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Weight of Hope

September 11, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Amid the darkness of the Thirty Years’ War, German pastor Martin Rinkart is said to have buried nearly five thousand fellow citizens and parishioners in one year, including his young wife. Conducting as many as fifty funerals a day, Rinkart’s church was absolutely ravaged by war and plague, famine and economic disaster. Yet in the midst of that dark year, he sat down with his children and wrote the following lines as a prayer for the dinner table:

Now thank we all our God

With heart and hands and voices;

Who wondrous things hath done,

In Whom his world rejoices.

Who, from our mother’s arms,

Hath led us on our way

With countless gifts of love

And still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God

through all our life be near us,

With ever joyful hearts

and blessed peace to cheer us;

And keep us still in grace,

and guide us when perplexed;

And free us from all ills,

in this world and the next.

In the midst of such gloom, Rinkart’s expressions of thankfulness seem either incredibly foolish or mysteriously important. Standing on this Christian notion, Rinkart saw the certainty of God and the significance of thanksgiving. He saw that to be thankful was to make the bold confession that encountering the presence and glory of God far outweighs everything else we encounter, whether a matter of despair or delight. Amidst the heaviness of darkness, he saw the wisdom in fixing his gaze on what he could not see—the light of the Gospel, the life of Christ, the eternal weight of the glory of a God who is among us.

The Apostle Paul, who lived similarly, wrote of his own dark encounters as “momentary affliction” in which he saw nonetheless an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison. “For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”(1)

It is interesting to note that the general Greek word for glory used in secular writing took an entirely different shape in the New Testament. The word was particularly influenced by its Hebrew counterpart meaning “weighted” or “heavy,” and hence, denoting something of honor and importance. The word doxology, referring to an expression of praise, comes from the same Greek word. The etymology is fascinating because the word itself seems to cry out for comparison. Will the things I give most honor always measure up? Under the heaviness of life, what weight does the hope I profess actually carry?

Here, Paul proclaims the eternal weightiness of his hope in Jesus Christ. “[F]or it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” The peculiar message of hope in the midst of darkness originates for the Christian with the God who first spoke light into darkness, the God who made light to shine in the darkness of Christ’s grave, and the inextinguishable light of Christ given to shine upon us today. It is this God of intrinsic glory in whom we know light and life itself.

Martin Rinkart’s simple table grace was later made into a powerful hymn and sung at a celebration service at the war’s end. Adding a third stanza, Rinkart’s words continue with thanksgiving, concluding fittingly with words of doxology, words proclaiming the weightiness of the glory of God.

All praise and thanks to God

the Father now be given;

The Son and Him Who reigns

with Them in highest heaven;

The one eternal God,

Whom earth and heaven adore;

For thus it was, is now,

and shall be evermore.

Jill Carattini is managing editor of A Slice of Infinity at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Atlanta, Georgia.

(1) See 2 Corinthians 4:16.

(2) 2 Corinthians 4:6.

Alistair Begg

Alistair Begg – Not of the World

September 11, 2013 broboinhawaii Leave a comment

Be separate from them.

2 Corinthians 6:17

The Christian, while in the world, is not to be of the world. He should be distinguished from it in the great object of his life. To him, “to live” should be “Christ.”1 Whether he eats or drinks or whatever he does, he should do it all to God’s glory. You may lay up treasure; but lay it up in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroy, where thieves do not break in and steal. You may work to be rich; but make it your ambition to be “rich in faith”2 and good works. You may pursue pleasure; but when you are happy, sing psalms and make melody in your hearts to the Lord.

In your spirit, as well as in your aim, you should differ from the world. Waiting humbly before God, always conscious of His presence, delighting in fellowship with Him, and seeking to know His will, you will prove that you are a citizen of heaven. And you should be separate from the world in your actions. If a thing is right, though you lose by doing it, it must be done; if it is wrong, though you would gain from it, you must reject the sin for your Master’s sake. You must have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness but rather reprove them. Walk worthy of your high calling and dignity. Remember, Christian, that you are a son of the King of kings. Therefore, keep yourself unstained from the world. Do not soil the fingers that are to serve the King. Do not let your eyes become the windows of lust, eyes that will soon see the King in His beauty. Do not let your feet, which are soon to walk the golden streets, be defiled in dirty places. Do not allow your heart to be filled with pride and bitterness, but prepare it to be filled with heaven and to overflow with ecstatic joy.

Then rise my soul! and soar away,

Above the thoughtless crowd;

Above the pleasures of the day,

And splendors of the proud;

Up where eternal beauties bloom,

And pleasures all divine;

Where wealth, that never can consume,

And endless glories shine.

1 Philippians 1:21

2 James 2:5

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Tag Archives: theology

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – Of Kings and Kingdoms

Alistair Begg – What Does Partake Mean?

Charles Spurgeon – Storming the battlements

John MacArthur – A Righteousness That Glorifies God

Charles Stanley – Defending Your Family against Spiritual Attack

Charles Spurgeon – Adoption

Alistair Begg – Bad News?

John MacArthur – Developing Practical Righteousness

Campus Crusade for Christ; Bill Bright – A New Quality of Life

Presidential Prayer Team; P.G. – Trust in Tragedy

Presidential Prayer Team; C.H. – Stronger Together

Charles Stanley – Why We Lose Our Peace

Our Daily Bread — Beneficial Power

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Good Book

Alistair Begg – God’s Jealousy For Believers

Charles Spurgeon – The fatherhood of God

John MacArthur – Resisting the Devil

Charles Stanley – The Source of Peace

Ravi Zacharias Ministry – The Weight of Hope

Alistair Begg – Not of the World

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