Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Singles Bible Fellowship Lesson
August 2nd, 2009 - James 2:1-13 - Blessed are the Poor and the Merciful
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Does Prayer Change Things?
One of the questions I get asked a lot by people who hear my explain the biblical teaching that God has ordained everything that comes to pass (Isaiah 46:9-10; Ephesians 1:11-12) is, "If God has ordained everything, then why should we pray for things? Will it make a difference?"
This is a great question which this sermon by D.A. Carson deals with very well. He shows that Scripture teaches:
1) God is utterly sovereign.
2) God is personal.
3) God is never less than all he is. He is not sometimes sovereign and sometimes personal, any more than he is sometimes holy and sometimes loving. He is always himself.
4) Therefore, there is a mysteriousness to God's interaction with us, finite persons locked in time, as a personal infinite timeless sovereign God.
5) And, we pray in accordance with each of God's attributes revealed in the bible as they function in the bible. Thus for example, God's sovereignty over our will (Phil. 2) is mentioned as incentive to work out our salvation not as an excuse to sit around doing nothing. And, passages that show God's personal interaction with us teach us to pray to God expecting change.
One of the things I appreciate about Carson is that he lets Scripture speak for itself, and he does not speculate. He stops where Scripture stops and leaves the mystery where God leaves it.
Anyone who wants to wrestle with the issue of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility should check this out.
This is a great question which this sermon by D.A. Carson deals with very well. He shows that Scripture teaches:
1) God is utterly sovereign.
2) God is personal.
3) God is never less than all he is. He is not sometimes sovereign and sometimes personal, any more than he is sometimes holy and sometimes loving. He is always himself.
4) Therefore, there is a mysteriousness to God's interaction with us, finite persons locked in time, as a personal infinite timeless sovereign God.
5) And, we pray in accordance with each of God's attributes revealed in the bible as they function in the bible. Thus for example, God's sovereignty over our will (Phil. 2) is mentioned as incentive to work out our salvation not as an excuse to sit around doing nothing. And, passages that show God's personal interaction with us teach us to pray to God expecting change.
One of the things I appreciate about Carson is that he lets Scripture speak for itself, and he does not speculate. He stops where Scripture stops and leaves the mystery where God leaves it.
Anyone who wants to wrestle with the issue of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility should check this out.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Free-Will
John Piper has a great short post on human freedom and responsibility. Many people struggle with the biblical teaching that as sinners we can do nothing but sin. We are unable to choose God, love God, seek to know God, or commit ourselves to him because we are slaves to sin and in our flesh, hostile to God. This teaching troubles people because they reason that if this is true, we cannot be held responsible for our sin. Piper clarifies why this line of reasoning doesn't work here.
Monday, June 29, 2009
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