“If you mention Packer’s name … you may hear, ‘Yes, I read his classic Knowing God, and it transformed my understanding of who God is.’ That was precisely Packer’s goal” - TGC

“Four specific issues directly related to justification occur within their teaching: the imputation of Christ’s righteousness, the role of works, final justification, and apostasy. This post will examine the first two of these four issues.” - DBTS Blog

A scandal remembered: The sad lessons of the Clinton impeachment, 25 years later - WORLD

“Therefore, let us keep the Feast, not after the manner of a heathen festival, but after a godly sort; not after the way of the world, but in a fashion above the world” - C.Leaders

Read the series.

(Numbers 28:11, Isaiah 12:3-4, and John 4:1-42)

Jesus’ meeting with the Woman at the Well is a popular text for preaching and teaching, rich with application. Space forbids me from addressing the many details about this meeting; I have chosen instead to focus upon a few questions rarely raised. I have already answered the question: “Why was Yeshua so forthright about His Messiahship with the Woman at the Well, but not others?”

Today we will ponder two more questions.

“The church has redemptive work to do—and it’s not to invent an evangelism technique that uses a clever acronym, trendy graphics, or an assortment of language from pop culture. Gen Z doesn’t need that, nor do they want it.” - TGC

“By taking our focus off the human receiver and putting it on the divine giver, Christmas can become a symbol of God’s giving heart rather than people’s grabbing hands.” - Randy Alcorn

“The document grants priests ‘the possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples without officially validating their status or changing in any way the Church’s perennial teaching on marriage.’” - RNS

“The church’s national assembly voted in February to allow clergy to bless the unions of same-sex couples who have had civil weddings or partnerships. … used for the first time on Sunday.” - AP

“The survey of 51 public and private universities from The Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University found a small number of ‘hotspot’ schools where Jewish students faced a hostile environment.” - RNS

Are some kinds (or styles or genres, etc.) of instrumental music *objectively* (i.e., not just because you prefer them) better than others?

If so, what makes them better and how do you support your view that they are better than others?

(About this series).

VOLUME I, CHAPTER 3: THE PURPOSES OF THE INCARNATION.

BY REV. G. CAMPBELL MORGAN, D. D., PASTOR OF WESTMINSTER CHAPEL, LONDON, ENGLAND.

“4. Non-denominational churches do not carry the ‘name’ baggage that a denominational church might carry. I think this issue can be overstated…. 5. Non-denominational churches tend to be newer churches that grow faster than older churches.” - Rainer

“Yes - there is clearly a positive relationship between religion and charitable giving. But it’s not a huge difference.” - Ryan Burge

“How do we navigate this terrain? ….framing the topic through before, during, and after scenarios might ease the burden of our endeavor.” - Desiring God

“Online church attendees read the Bible more than onsite worshipers. Nonbelievers outpace Christians in valuing several pro-social Bible-based behaviors. And Black Americans are more spiritually vibrant than whites and Hispanics.” - BPNews

“Cassidy said…that he destroyed the shrine on Thursday in order to ‘awaken Christians to the anti-Christian acts promoted by our government.’” - Republic Sentinel

“Morello says he wants to avoid getting in the weeds of law and policy. Fair enough. But he owes his reader at least a sketch of good establishmentarian regimes. This book bills itself as the conservative case for establishment. It is not that.” - Acton

Read Part 1 and Part 2.

Will the Holy Spirit Leave During the Tribulation?

Sometimes 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 is used to teach that the Holy Spirit will be removed from the world before the tribulation begins. But how can this be true in light of the doctrine of omnipresence?

“Jesus reminds you that you can only be one person. You can’t hide behind manicured pictures, or a new product, or a more edgy tone…. ask God to help you cultivate digital integrity. How do you do that?” - Ref21

“data from the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) does not show ongoing growth. Between 2010 and 2018, the share of Chinese adults who formally identify with Christianity remained stable at about 2%” - Pew

“The ACLU and First Liberty Institute have represented clients on opposite sides several times in the past….The two organizations collaborated in this suit to show the court it was not a “partisan issue, but really an issue of free speech for everybody” - RNS

“questioning whether prisoner exchanges are prudent is not to question the intrinsic value of the hostages…. But it is to observe that the prisoner exchanges—like the paying of any kind of ransom—does nothing to disincentivize further hostage-taking.” - Providence

“This documentary is the latest example of pulling and positing arguments for LGBTQ affirmation out of thin air…. The trend began roughly 10 years ago, when Matthew Vines gave a speech in a Kansas church that went viral.” - Breakpoint

Cloud surfing? Harp strumming? Singing in an everlasting worship service? Melting into nothing in the celestial light of God? Is this how we will be enjoying eternity?

Some guesses about our eternal activities are nebulous, and others cross the border into the ridiculous. None of these pictures inspires me to anticipate eternity with joy. George Orwell observed,

The Christian Heaven, as usually portrayed, would attract nobody. Almost all Christian writers dealing with Heaven either say frankly that it is indescribable or conjure up a vague picture of gold, precious stones, and the endless singing of hymns.¹

“I want to argue from the accounts of Mary in the Gospels that she knew all the points the song reveals, and probably quite a bit more.” - Word by Word

“If Catholics in Oklahoma want such a school, it must be funded by private money furnished by the supporters of such education. Let me be clear, I would oppose such a sectarian charter school if it were Baptist.” - Richard Land

“I learned how to mourn when my mom lost her mind, and then her life, to dementia.” - CToday

“a detailed letter to parents… outlined the reasons behind the delayed return, emphasizing the Presbyterian school’s commitment to safety, minimizing learning disruptions, teacher readiness and acknowledging the anniversary” - CPost