https://open.spotify.com/episode/0jjlb783VCRy2foRavuJXo?si=N0xdsK1VTWub5s-bZ4RbfA We are continuing to read through Heaven Taken by Storm together. You can find our reading plan and links to previous posts here. Chapter Twelve Outline Metaphors for Heavenly Violence Striving Wrestling Running Fighting Reasons for Offering Violence God’s command God’s decree It is difficult Violent assaults are made against us from our hearts from the powers …
Volume 2 of Gurnall’s The Christian in Complete Armor covers the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, and shoes of readiness. The quotation below is found in his study of the shoes, where he begins by describing the goodness of the gospel. Here, however, Gurnall turns his attention to the weighty question about those who …
Continue reading Our Compassion for the Unreached | William Gurnall
Nearly one week after the 2020 United States election, we still do not know for certain whether Donald Trump or Joe Biden will be President for the next four years. The media, of course, has called Biden the winner, yet with Trump’s assertion of potential voter fraud, an actual end to the contest likely remains …
I will delight in your statutes;I will not forget your word. Psalm 119:16 ESV The psalmist concludes the second eight-verse stanza of Psalm 119 with this two-fold resolution, which he begins by reiterating the theme of verse 14. Just as the psalmist previously resolved to rejoice in God’s testimonies more highly than in all riches, …
à Brakel, who was a pastor during the Second Dutch Reformation, wrote a four-volume systematic theology called The Christian’s Reasonable Service. Thus far, as I have been reading, it has been living up to its reputation as being one of the most practical and pastoral systemic theologies ever written. The following quotation is from his …
Continue reading Reflecting on the Word | Wilhelmus à Brakel
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3AbLZaLdGqBHenncGsxYIY?si=RF4JSFPIRZSKn7jeZ-44Nw We are continuing to read through Heaven Taken by Storm together. You can find our reading plan and links to previous posts here. Chapter Ten Outline Satan’s Opposition His violence His treachery In suiting his temptations to the temper of the individual. Drawing men to evil, under a pretense of good. He tempts to sin gradually. He …
2020 has been significantly more homebound than previous years due to COVID-19, which included for many churches the cancellation of planned mission work. Our church was among that number, so for November (which we designate as Missions Month), we are focusing on the topic of Missions at Home. To coincide with this theme, I gave …
Continue reading How to Support Missions & Be Missional at Home
https://youtu.be/DDjQbLDWN3I and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, Ephesians 6:14 With the overall nature of spiritual warfare established (the nature and methods of our enemy and our position, disposition, and call to be armed), we have proceeded into our piece by piece description of the armor of God, which began with calling us to …
Continue reading Breastplate of Righteousness | Ephesians 6:14
I will meditate on your preceptsand fix my eyes on your ways. Psalm 119:15 ESV In the penultimate verse of this stanza, the psalmist continues to his resolutions for how he will store God’s Word in his heart and guard his way with it. Just as he has determined to declare and delight in the …
Iain Duguid's short book, The Whole Armor of God, has been a wonderful read. While studying over the belt of truth, I included one quotation from his chapter on the same subject, but here are a few others that are equally worth sharing. In Ephesians 4:21, Paul contrasts Christianity to the pagan approach to life …
