Gospel Living

But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. 22  For when Herodias’s daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his guests. And the king said to the girl, “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you.” 23  And he vowed to her, “Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of my kingdom.” … 26  And the king was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he did not want to break his word to her. … 29  When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. Herodias unsuccessfully plotted to murder John the Baptist until this point because her husband had him arrested.  On this strategic night, she finally persuades Herod to follow through with her plan.  Herod knew it would be wrong, but he sinned nonetheless because of two reasons. Herod fell to his temptations.  Lust was obviously a pro...

35  While he was still speaking, there came from the ruler’s house some who said, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Teacher any further?” 36  But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37  And he allowed no one to follow him except Peter and James and John the brother of James. There are lengths of our journey where it seems that life gets worse while we’re with Jesus, and faith begins to run dry.  Jairus must have felt that way—he came to Jesus asking Him to come and heal his daughter (vv. 22–24).  However, Jesus delays and heals someone else (vv. 24–34), and now the message of his daughter’s death (v. 35).  He risked ridicule and scorn from the scribes and Pharisees, came to Jesus, and seemingly, all for naught. Perhaps the messengers pulled Jairus aside while Jesus healed this girl, but Jesus still overheard the conversation.  He speaks directly to Jairus and says, “Do not fe...

16  And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. 17  And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. 18  As he was getting into the boat, the man who had been possessed with demons begged him that he might be with him. 19  And he did not permit him but said to him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” 20  And he went away and began to proclaim in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him, and everyone marveled. The townsfolk come to see what happened to the herd, and they’re stricken with fear.  Even though the “fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge” (Pv 1:7), unfortunately, they didn’t move forward in knowledge.  On the other hand, the demoniac, now set free, develops an instant affection for the Lord.  We see both begging Jesus in these verses, and we note in them two different responses ...

10           Now therefore, O kings, be wise;             be warned, O rulers of the earth. 11            Serve the Lord with fear,             and rejoice with trembling. 12           Kiss the Son,             lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,             for his wrath is quickly kindled.                         Blessed are all who take refuge in him. If this psalm ended at verse nine, the world would only be in for bad news.  The world bears responsibility for its actions.  The n...

(HT: DGBlog ) From Pastor John's sermon, “ Songs that Shape the Heart and Mind ” (May 25, 2008): If you read the Psalms only for doctrine, you’re not reading them for what they are. They are psalms, songs, poetry. They’re musical, and the reason human beings express truth with music and poetry is to awaken and express emotions that fit the truth. One of the reasons the Psalms are deeply loved by so many Christians is that they give expression to an amazing array of emotions. Listen to this list of emotions I pulled together: Loneliness: “I am  lonely  and afflicted” ( Psalms 25:16 ). Love: “I  love  you, O Lord, my strength” ( Psalms 18:1 ). Awe: “Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in  awe  of him” ( Psalms 33:8 ). Sorrow: “My life is spent with  sorrow ” ( Psalms 31:10 ). Regret: “I am  sorry  for my sin” ( Psalms 38:18 ). Contrition: “A broken and  contrite  heart, O God, you will not despise” ( Psalms 51:1...

Here is the video from my sermon on Philippians 4:6-9 at Lynton Missionary Church in Lynwood, CA, on June 17, 2012. Unfortunately, the recorder gave out about thirty minutes into the message, but don't be anxious: you can get the lost fifteen minutes from the manuscript below. od comforts us in the fact that our heroes in the faith are human.  We only need to think of David, who Scripture records was a man after God’s own heart—someone who stood up to Goliath’s bullying with the strength and faith unlike any of his countrymen.  Even so, he was human.  We remember his failures as a father.  We remember his failures in leadership.  We remember his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba.  We remember his murder of her husband.  If after all of this he is remembered as a man after God’s own heart in Acts 13:22, God’s grace provides hope for us all. There is another time when he stumbled in his faith.  Before Saul died in batt...

I was counseling someone on anxiety, and this email popped up from Grace Gems.  I hope that you might find it a word of comfort (or conviction) in troubled times: Do not be afraid! ( James Smith , "The Believer's Companion in Seasons of Affliction and Trouble" 1842) "So do not be afraid --for I am with you;  do not be dismayed--for I am your God.  I will strengthen you and help you;  I will uphold you with My righteous right hand!"     Isaiah 41:10 God has arranged all our concerns with consummate wisdom , in the very best possible manner. He overrules all events by His omnipotent power . He directs all things by His paternal love . If infinite wisdom, omnipotent power, and paternal love, are engaged for our present and eternal welfare--then our fears must be groundless, and our anxiety folly. Our fears only . . .    dishonor God,    distress the mind,    please Satan,    and grieve the godl...

Pro-homosexual activists threw concrete through windows Saturday in Arlington Heights, IL, because they said there was a homophobic meeting taking place there.  They not only damaged property, but they've also taken the terrorist route and threatened more attacks if the event, where Erwin Lutzer was the keynote speaker , is not shut down. Hmm... so who are the phobic ones?    ATFAH   repeatedly stated  that they and their speakers oppose violence against homosexuals, but that is not a feeling reciprocated by those who love an undisturbed lifestyle choice. Pray that those who are involved with this crime come to the truth of the gospel, repenting of their current downward spiral of sin, and for the continued safety of all in attendance at the  event. The downward spiral in Romans 1:22-32: Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images ...  Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of thei...

Wayne Mack answers this in his book, Your Family God's Way (Phillipsburg, NY: P & R Publishing, 1991).  Psalm 128:1-4 says: 1 Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in his ways! 2 You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you. 3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table. 4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed who fears the Lord. Here are Mack's insights (p. 5): God says that God-fearing people: Receive divine instruction concerning the choices they should make (Ps. 25:12). Are prosperous in the most important ways (Pss. 25:13; 112:3). Experience God's goodness (Ps. 31:19). Are special objects of God's protection (Ps. 31:20). Have children to whom God shows compassion (Ps. 103:11-18). Have descendants who will be great on the earth in the most important ways (Ps. 112:2) Are motivated to be gracious and genero...

Highlight Video: MP3 will be posted when available. Fear of persecution. Most persecution comes from those closest to us, those who stand with us in the church. Will you alter how you preach because of fear? Rick Holland shared four contrasts for maintaining ministerial conduct from Luke 12. 1. Don’t fear hypocrites, fear hypocrisy (vv. 1–3) Jesus spoke to His disiciples first about the hypocricy of the Pharisees. Though originally godly, these Pharisees of Jesus’ day had become the white-washed hypocrites we know, those who needed the inside of the cup washed. Hypocrisy: Hiding your sins from the faithful OR hiding your faith from sinners. We need to be the example to those around us. Fear hypocrisy 2. Don’t fear the threat of men, fear the threat of God (vv. 4–9) Jesus would not have said “do not be afraid of those who kill the body” unless they were afraid. If Christ and his disciples were persecuted and killed for the faith, what do we expect? Man of the year awards? Banq...