Prayer 102

by David Hall • June 01, 2015
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Prayer 102
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There is no more vital subject for Jesus followers than prayer. Jesus provides instruction on giving and fasting (cf. Mt. 6: 2-4, 16-18), but he elaborates more fully on prayer. Keeping with his theme of avoiding showiness, Christ next tutors his disciples on what not to do (Mt. 6:7-8), followed by his instruction on what to do (cf. Mt. 6:9-15). The Lord’s Prayer has guided many generations, and it became a regular part of catechetical works and even systematic theologies. Some Puritans (Thomas Watson among them) view it as a grand summation of the gospel, or as a system or body of divinity in miniature.

Read Matthew 6:9-13

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Explaining Joel Osteen

Posted on Monday, June 1, 2015 by Todd Pruitt on 1517

There is a reason for Joel Osteen's massive appeal...

Like many of you I find myself wondering from time-to-time why it is that Joel Osteen is able to attract such massive crowds to his church and stadium events. And those books! How is it that there are more than a dozen or so people willing to buy his books? 
I think I have the answer.
I have been reading Matthew Crawford’s new book The World Beyond Your Head.

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The Death of Jesus Christ - Part Four

By James Boice

Theme: The miracles of Calvary.
This week’s lesson shows us proof that Jesus was the Son of God.

SCRIPTURE
Matthew 27:51-53

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

The third miracle was the earthquake that split the rocks and broke open many of the tombs. Earthquakes themselves are not miraculous, but the timing of this one was. It was at the very moment when Jesus died. Moreover, it was the prelude to the resurrection of many holy persons. Matthew does not explain what the earthquake meant, but it probably corresponded to the giving of the law at Sinai, when the earth also trembled. That was a time of fear for those who had been brought out of Egypt, for God is a holy God and the law is a terrible thing for those who have broken it. The revelation of the presence of God on Mount Sinai was so terrifying that even Moses said, “I am trembling with fear” (Hebrews 12:21). The earthquake at Calvary matches the earthquake at Sinai and reminds us that although “the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17).

Think and Act Biblically from James Boice is a devotional of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It is supported only by its readers and gracious Christians like you. Please prayerfully consider supporting Think and Act Biblically and the mission of the Alliance.

Jesus’ Obedience to the Father - Part Two

Posted 6/1/15 by Donald Barnhouse
As Jesus grew up, undoubtedly His deity was veiled. Though His family had never found Him in a sin, they did not understand who He was. But now something different had come. Jesus was now thirty years old, in the public eye, the news of His ministry completely overtaking the country. It was only natural that the crowds should swarm about Him, but in the process Jesus came smack against organized religion, and when He did, the fury of hell broke loose.
 
Theme: Rumblings of Opposition
 
SCRIPTURE
Mark 3:23-35
 
And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end.

The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals is member supported and operates only by your faithful support. Thank you.

Making God’s Word Plain is a devotional of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It is supported only by its readers and gracious Christians like you. Please prayerfully consider supporting Making God’s Word Plain and the mission of the Alliance.

Following Jesus 46

As we examine the Twelve Disciples of Jesus, we now examine the third group of four. We begin with the disciple known as James the Son of Alpheus or James the Less. 
 
As we examine the Twelve Disciples of Jesus, we now examine the third group of four. We begin with the disciple known as James the Son of Alpheus or James the Less. 
 
While there is little information about James, we can make some important observations about him that may also be make about today’s followers of Jesus. 
 
James, as a follower of Jesus, was chosen by God. He was a follower of Jesus because Jesus chose him to be a follower. The same may be said of you.

The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals is member supported and operates only by your faithful support. Thank you.

Reformation Societies is a fraternal of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It is supported only by its readers and gracious Christians like you. Please prayerfully consider supporting Reformation Societies and the mission of the Alliance.

The Death of Jesus Christ - Part Three

By James Boice

Theme: The miracles of Calvary.
This week’s lesson shows us proof that Jesus was the Son of God.

SCRIPTURE
Matthew 27:50-51

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.
And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.

We need to be specific about what the rending of the veil teaches.

1. The old system of offering sacrifices year by year was over. The priests probably sewed the veil back together and went on with their traditional religious practices. But in the sight of God the old age had ended and a new age had begun. This new age embraces both Jew and Gentile within Christ’s church, which is why Paul was able to write to the Ephesians as he did. “For he himself [Jesus] is our peace, who had made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility” (Ephesians 2:14-16).

Think and Act Biblically from James Boice is a devotional of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It is supported only by its readers and gracious Christians like you. Please prayerfully consider supporting Think and Act Biblically and the mission of the Alliance.

Faith on the Edge of Reason

by Mark Johnston • May 29, 2015
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Faith on the Edge of Reason
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In its definition of ‘Saving Faith’ the Westminster Confession of Faith enters a very significant caveat that is all too often overlooked. Namely, ‘This faith is different in degrees, weak or strong; may be often and many ways assailed, and weakened, but gets the victory: growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance, through Christ, who is both the author and finisher of our faith’. Its inclusion is important, not just as a statement of theological fact, but in terms of its pastoral relevance to many true believers whose faith is in crisis.

In its definition of ‘Saving Faith’ the Westminster Confession of Faith enters a very significant caveat that is all too often overlooked.

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Place for Truth is a voice of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It is supported only by its readers and gracious Christians like you. Please prayerfully consider supporting Place for Truth and the mission of the Alliance.

Jesus’ Obedience to the Father - Part One

Posted 5/29/15 by Donald Barnhouse
Thus it is that in Mark 3:13 Jesus withdraws from the crowd and goes up into the hills to choose His disciples. Have you ever considered what it must have been like for Jesus to choose Judas? He would have the devil right in one of His twelve disciples, living with Him at every moment. And the Lord was the only one who knew it. Yet Jesus had to treat Judas with great kindness, because it was not yet the moment for Judas to go to his own place and for Jesus to go to the cross, where His great work would be done. He would fulfill His Father’s will in the things He did; He would not follow His own dictates or those of anyone else.
 
Theme: Rumblings of Opposition
 
SCRIPTURE
Mark 3:31-35
 
And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you.”And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers!

The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals is member supported and operates only by your faithful support. Thank you.

Making God’s Word Plain is a devotional of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It is supported only by its readers and gracious Christians like you. Please prayerfully consider supporting Making God’s Word Plain and the mission of the Alliance.

Following Jesus 45

As we examine the Twelve Disciples of Jesus, we now examine the third group of four. We begin with the disciple known as James the Son of Alpheus or James the Less. 
 
As we examine the Twelve Disciples of Jesus, we now examine the third group of four. We begin with the disciple known as James the Son of Alpheus or James the Less. 
 
While there is little information about James, we can make some important observations about him that may also be make about today’s followers of Jesus. 
 
James, as a follower of Jesus, was chosen by God. He was a follower of Jesus because Jesus chose him to be a follower. The same may be said of you.

The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals is member supported and operates only by your faithful support. Thank you.

Reformation Societies is a fraternal of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It is supported only by its readers and gracious Christians like you. Please prayerfully consider supporting Reformation Societies and the mission of the Alliance.

The Duggar Disaster

Posted on Thursday, May 28, 2015 by Todd Pruitt on 1517

It is a dangerous thing to promote your virtue...

By now you have no doubt heard the troubling news concerning Josh Duggar of the immensely successful television program 19 Kids and Counting. Many others have weighed in already. It is an important story not least of all because it gives the church another opportunity to think about how it should react to sexual abuse. I wanted to wait a few days before making my thoughts any more public than my own living room. 
In no particular order, I do believe it would be helpful for us to consider the following:
1.

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