Tag: Christian
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Why Does God Permit Bad Things?: The Psalmist’s Confession in Psalm 119
The psalmist in Psalm 119 has come to a significant point in his life, recognizing God’s ways as better than his own. He thought his own ways were good, but discovered they brought unhappiness for his own life and facilitated injustice in the world. The psalmist has asked God’s forgiveness according to His lovingkindness as…
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To the Men of the Church in Transition: Reflecting on 1 Timothy 2
In 1 Timothy, Paul is giving explicit instructions to Timothy—whom he left in Ephesus to instruct and appoint pastors for the churches there. Paul hasn’t really gotten to what to look for in pastors or how to promote them yet. He has emphasized the importance of humility, patience, and love. We can easily get caught…
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God’s Generosity in Salvation: Reflecting on the Praise of Psalm 119
God’s Law is good. It facilitates blessing in our lives and prosperity, peace, justice, and equality for society. The Law does not exist apart from the promise of salvation for those who love God relationally. The Law tells us about God’s lovingkindness—His forgiveness by grace for those who love Him. The psalmist continues to reflect…
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Fighting the Good Fight in Transitional Seasons: Notes from 1 Timothy 1:15-20
Love from a pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith is the most important thing churches in transition should remember (1:3-7). Paul also warns about immoral men sneaking in and turning the churches toward fruitlessness and sin (1:8-11). At the end of his first chapter, Paul uses himself as an example—not because he is qualified…
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God’s Lovingkindness According to His Law: Reflecting on Psalm 119
The psalmist reflects on the Law of God. The Law is good. It provides the path to happiness and satisfaction in life. It even facilitates a just and equal society. The Law has many benefits, but I have to wonder about salvation. No one perfectly keeps the Law. All people sin and fall short of…
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Getting Back to Our Roots: Before Appointing New Pastors in 1 Timothy 1
Pastoral ministry is unique in this world. Many men are called to pastoral ministry. Because of the season my church family is in, I want to spend some time looking with fresh eyes at the pastoral letters in their context. In the First Century, things didn’t work like they do now. While we can see…
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God’s Law, Just Society, and Our Dishonest Gain: Reflecting on the Plea of Psalm 119
In psalm 119 so far, the psalmist As the psalmist reflects on the Law of God, he continues, Incline my heart to Your testimonies And not to dishonest gain (Psalm 119:36). Since the psalmist sees the Law of God as opposite dishonest gain, we get to ask another question of God’s Law–Does God’s Law actually…
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The Source of Happiness and Blessing in Psalm 119
In the first two stanzas of Psalm 119, we saw the psalmist reject his own selfish ways in favor of God’s ways because God’s ways are better. He came humbly to God, asked God to train him, and beseeched his Lord not to forsake him utterly. Stanzas 3 and 4 (ג , ד) sound very…
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Thinking Biblically About the Alien, Man-Made Politics Aside
People always assume their agendas are correct and are quick to accuse people who don’t agree with them as being completely godless. Not many people today really try to understand someone else’s position. They simply draw caricatures and criticize those caricatures in ways that don’t actually help anyone. They only accomplish the heightening of other’s…
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The Heart of True Praise: The Psalmist as Our Example in Psalm 119
I believe Scripture is divinely inspired. Every human author, guided by the Holy Spirit, penned the only word that is profitable for “teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In the inspiration of Scripture, God felt…