Tune and Prepare!

The Holy Spirit and the words of the Lord Jesus The Holy Spirit is closely identified with the words of the Lord Jesus. “It is the Spirit who gives life; (quickens); the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” John 6:63 The Gospel proclamation can not be divorced from the Holy Spirit. Unless He attend the word in power, vain will be the attempt in preaching it. Human eloquence or persua­siveness of speech are the mere trappings of the dead, if the living Spirit be absent; the prophet may preach to the bones in the valley, (Ezekiel 37:1-6) but it must be the Breath from Heaven which will cause the slain to live. In the third chapter of the First Epistle of Peter, it reads, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive (quickened) in/by the spirit.” 1Peter 3:18 Here we see that Christ was raised up from the grave by ...

Worship is a complex lifestyle in the Scriptures, not an event. Adoration, honor, praise, reverence focuses on the holiness of the majesty, the mightiness, the beauty of the Lord, – this is a constant priestly activity: sacrifice before the Lord, per-se. When we worship in holiness, unity and agreement, "God dwells among us": JHVH Shammah is his name which also clearly points to the name Immanuel : "Gd is with us". Gd's names represent His mighty character. Jesus clearly teaches that His Name should be holy before us: "hallowed be Your Name". His prayer model is the base of the everyday priestly prayer and adoration. In respect. In unity. In love. Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright. Psalm 20:7-8 The full article is here ☆

study in the Chapterhouse The Constant Need Ephesians 4:1-16 Holman Christian Standard Bible 1 Therefore I, the prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, 2 with all humility and gentleness , with patience {tolerating}, accepting {bearing} one another in love, 3 diligently keeping the unity * of the Spirit with the peace that binds us. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to {called in} one hope at your calling— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. *Keeping the unity means: acceptance and active love ( agape: inviting love / or 'Hesed' ), creating an environment with mutual trust and support. See: David Guzik's article about unity (see: the apostolic heart in Rm.1:12 and 14:19 ) 7 Now grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of the Messiah’s gift. 8 For it says: When He...

As the majority of modern Christians struggle with a kind of Judaized-Christian worldview, every Bible teacher has a constant duty to maintain an apostolic view of justification by faith and righteousness. On this page we learn from the epistle of Galatians. Here we read an important exposition of how the new state of being redeemed in Christ and justified by faith is distinct from the Jewish view of the law. Background: Paul writes to the churches he established in the southern part of Galatia during his first missionary journey (Acts 13:1–14:28). Unlike Paul’s other greetings here you can not find thanksgiving for or reference to the Galatians’ faith, or love. Earlier, in the chapter 2 he explains, warns that "Justified” life means “counted righteous” or “declared righteous” by God. He points out that by human nature this is not possible: If people obeyed all of God’s perfect moral standards, they could be justified by their own merits. But Paul says that this is...

Mivel a modern keresztények többsége egyfajta judaizált-keresztény világnézettel küzd, minden bibliatanítónak állandó kötelessége fenntartani a hitből való megigazulás és az igazságosság apostoli szemléletét. Ezen az oldalon a Galata levélből tanulunk. Fontos eligazítást olvashatunk arról, hogy az új, Krisztusban megváltott, hit által megigazult állapot elkülönül a törvény zsidó szemléletétől. Háttér: Pál az első missziós útja során Galatia déli részén alapított gyülekezeteknek ír (ApCsel 13:1-14:28). Pál más köszöntése­ivel ellentétben itt nem találunk hálaadást vagy utalást a galaták "hitére, szeretetére." Korábban, a 2. fejezetben az apostol elmagyarázza, sőt figyelmeztet, hogy a "megigazult" élet azt jelenti, hogy Isten "igaznak számít" vagy "igaznak nyilvánít" minket. Rámutat, hogy emberi természetünknél fogva ez nem lehetséges: Ha az emberek betartanák Isten minden tökéletes erkölcsi előírását, akkor saját érdemeik alapján ...

you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God (the heavenly Jerusalem), to myriads of angels in festive gathering, to the assembly of the firstborn whose names have been written in heaven, to God who is the Judge of all, to the spirits of righteous people made perfect, to Jesus (mediator of a new covenant), and to the sprinkled blood.. Look! The Lion from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has been victorious so that He may open the scroll... Recommended: Seeing with a God - lens The fullness of God’s nature ☆

..there is one God and one mediator between God and humanity, Christ Jesus, Himself human, who gave Himself — a ransom for all, a testimony at the proper time. 1Tim 2:5-6 Therefore, we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens — Jesus the Son of God. Therefore, let us approach the Throne of Grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time. Heb 4:14,16 Jesus teaches us about prayer: "I have revealed Your name to the men You gave Me from the world. They were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. Now they know that all things You have given to Me are from You, because the words that You gave Me, I have given them. They have received them and have known for certain that I came from You. They have believed that You sent Me. I pray for them. Jn 17:6-10 "when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father wh...

Is Jesus really God? Some say He became divine at his baptism while others suggest He became the Son of God at His resurrection. The deity of Jesus Christ has always been challenged, not by those who are saved, but by those who want to remain in their sin. In this sermon titled “Declared to Be the Son of God,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones argues that Jesus is and always was the unique Son of God from the beginning. In order to do the will of God the Father, His power and glory were hidden and yet He never became less than God. As the apostle Paul proclaimed in Romans 1:3–4, the resurrection of Jesus proves that He is God. concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord Romans 1:3-4 (ESV) Like a son of the king who is ceremonially announced as heir of the kingdom, Jesus is declared to be the sovereign over all creatio...

God is Love – 1/3 ..how the two loves are linked A study on divine love and the intertwined Christian character Kindness and faithful love (hesed) pursue me every day of my life. I make my home in the house of YHWH for all time to come. Psalm 23:6 For this is how God loved (agape) the world: he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. John 3:16 What is Hesed? The word that is translated to “faithful love” is the Hebrew word “ Hesed (or ' checed' ).” This word is translated in other places as “kindness,” “faithfulness,” “mercy,” “goodness,” “loyalty,” and “steadfast love.” God's love for His covenant people in the Old Testament is expressed by the Hesed . This love expressed in the Hebrew texts as hesed we'emet for example in Gen 24:49; 32:11; 47:29; Ex 34:6; Jos 2:14; 2 Sam 2:6; 15:20. However hesed has a narrower definition than the English word " love ". In th...

Paul’s instructions on discipline Purity, Relationships, Mind, Devotion, Integrity, Tongue, Work, Perseverance... by: R. Kent Hughes Train in God's Gym Men, we will never get anywhere in life without discipline, and doubly so in spiritual matters. None of us is inherently righteous, so Paul’s instructions regarding spiritual discipline in 1 Timothy 4:7–8 take on personal urgency: “Train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come." That word “train” comes from the Greek word from which we derive gymnasium. So, I invite you into God’s Gym—to some pain and great gain! 1. Discipline of Purity Sensuality is the biggest obstacle to godliness among Christian men. The fall of King David should not only instruct us but scare the sensuality right out of us! Fill yourself with God’s Word—memorize passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8, Job ...

My little children, I am writing you these things so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father — Jesus Christ the Righteous One. He Himself is the atoning sacrifice {propitiation} for our sins, and not only for ours, but also for those of the whole world. 1Jn 2:1-2 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1Jn 1:9 The Faithful Who Stands in the Gap When we drop our guard and we sin (which the Apostle John knows will happen & we should confess), praise God that our saviour Jesus faithfully stands in the gap,* defends us, and is the one who forever states our innocent plea before God the Father. Indeed, from His fullness we have all received grace after grace (grace *upon grace: in place of grace already given) for the Law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:16-17 Through Moses came the Law. The ...

Tim Maton – Everyday Church, Wimbledon (Thoughts on 1Cor 5 - Some of the details ) If I had a title for my sermon, it would be “Holiness is a whole church responsibility”. What comes across in Paul’s letters, including this one, is his passion: his passion for Jesus, the Gospel, for people and the Church. It’s because of these passions that Paul desires a holy Church; one that honours Jesus, that proclaims the Gospel, and sees many people saved and transformed by it. Today I want to highlight three ways in which we can take collective responsibility for the holiness of God’s Church. Recognise the destructiveness of unchecked sin Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of your old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch - as you really are. (verse 6b-7) Yeast is a type of fungus that’s been commonly used for millennia to make bread rise and alcohol ferment. Despite its amazing properties, the many mentions of yeas...

Mit jelent az, hogy meghaltunk a bűnnek Krisztusban? Ez egy vitatott kifejezés, amelyet az egyháztörténelem során többféleképpen is értelmeztek. A Róma 6:1-3-ról szóló prédikációban, amelynek címe: "Áthelyezve a kegyelem uralmába", Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones azt mondja, hogy ennek a Szentírás helynek a megértése létfontosságú: Mit mondjunk hát? Megmaradjunk a vétekben, hogy a kegyelmet megsokasítsuk? Szó sem lehet róla. Vajon mi, akiket halálba vitt a vétek, élhetnénk-e még tovább ebben a vétekben? Hát nem értitek, hogy mi, akik a Krisztus Jézusba bemerítkeztünk, halálába merültünk be? Rm 6:1-3 Ez nem pusztán valami tudományos gyakorlatként fontos, hanem a keresztény élet szempontjából is. Azt mondja, hogy a bűnnek való meghalás azt jelenti, hogy Isten a keresztény embert Krisztusban megigazultnak és új embernek nyilvánította. Ez Isten kegyelmének és teljes megbocsátásának isteni kinyilvánítása mindazok számára, akik hisznek Jézus Krisztusban. Dr. Martin ...

What does it mean to have died to sin in Christ? This is a debated phrase that has had a number of interpretations throughout church history. In this sermon on Romans 6:12 titled “Transferred to the Reign of Grace,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones says that understanding this Scripture is vital: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Rm 6:1-2 This is important not merely as an academic exercise, but for the Christian life. He says that to have died to sin means that God has declared the Christian justified in Christ and a new person. It is the divine pronouncement of God’s favor and total forgiveness for all who believe in Jesus Christ. The emphasis, says Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, is always on what God has done for His people. This is why Paul expects the charge that he is encouraging sin so that grace might abound; he anticipates that this view of grace could be misunderstood. This serm...

Joseph Marie Vien: Sára bemutatja Hágárt Ábrahámnak A Galata levél 4 alapján áttekintést + tanítást olvashatsz itt a hívők régi és új állapotáról. Az apostoli tanítás szerint a régi, gyermeki állapot Izraelt jellemzi, az új állapot pedig a Krisztusban ajándékba kapott örökbefogadásra utal. Ezen felül, a két nő, a két anya (Ábrahám ágyasának valamint a feleségének) szimbolikus képe részletes képet ad a zsidó és a keresztény hívők közötti összetett szellemi- családi kapcsolatról. Az un. "Egyszerű fordítást" fogjuk használni. Előszó Amikor Pál apostol Ábrahám életéről és a Törvényről beszél, két állapotot kell meglássunk. Egyik az Isten önkéntes irgalma és kegyelme alapján álló áldás, másik egy rendszer , amelyet Isten népének szabadítására és a zsidó nemzet felépítésére készített el. Láthatjuk, hogy az ígéret, Ábrahám áldása 430 évvel a Törvény adása előtt történt. Azt is látni fogjuk, hogy a Törvény nem Ábrahám áldásának következménye , mert...

Jonathan Edwards: “We ought not to limit God where He has not limited himself!” "Expanding our Expectations of what God might do through His Church" Article by Lex Loizides There’s a somewhat tired caricature of the Reformed believer as an overly religious and narrow-minded fundamentalist. Such a person supposedly takes solace in the Sovereignty of God in light of the failure of the message he proclaims. After all, it is supposed, not many are being converted because it’s ‘not the will of God’…so goes the caricature. But actually, as we have seen already from the writing of Jonathan Edwards*, an affectionate love for the doctrines of grace not only expands our view of the majesty of God (in His transcendence), but also includes real, passionate, personal experiences of God (in His immanence, His closeness). And a Biblical view of the nature of God both as the One who graciously forgives us and as the mighty Head of the Church, will enable us...

Joseph Marie Vien: Sarah Presenting Hagar to Abraham Based on the Galatians 4 you can read here an overview +teaching about the old and new status of the believers. According to the apostolic teaching the old, child like status describes Israel and the new status refers to the adoption we have got in Christ. Meanwhile, the symbolic image of the two women, the two mothers (Abraham's concubine and his wife), gives a detailed picture of the complex spiritual family relationship between the Jewish and the Christian believer. We will use the ESV Bible. Pre When the apostle Paul speaks of the life of Abraham and about the Law, we need to see two states. One is a blessing: based on the voluntary mercy and grace of God, the other is a system: which God has prepared for the deliverance of His people and the building up of the Jewish nation. We can see that the promise, Abraham's blessing came 430 years before the giving of the Law. Moreover we will see that...

It was an uncompromising conscience that compelled Luther to stand alone in courageous faith before the mightiest people of the day. This was where he stood 500 years ago on 18 April 1521. He was not driven by personal hubris but constrained by something higher. His conscience, he declared, was captive to the Word of God. And it is “neither safe nor advisable to do anything against conscience”. It would have been easy to outsource his conscience blindly to the teaching authorities in the Church, even when he understood them to contradict Scripture. In our generation there are many influencers in society and media seeking to shape a collective conscience. Suddenly people trip over themselves to signal their newly-discovered virtues. Brands now have a conscience that they must advertise. It is easy to allow our conscience to be formed... What do we mean by outsourcing conscience? After all we yield our consciences to God and His Word. Outsourcing in general is when w...