This is not an idle word

What is the last thing you might tell your teenager as he is about to leave for his first semester of college? What is the last thing you might tell your employees before you leave for a new opportunity? What is the last thing you tell long-time neighbors before you leave the neighborhood? What is […]

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Sunday Leftovers, 3/22/09

It is good to maintain doctrinal purity in the church. It’s not only good — it’s the reason the church exists (1 Tim. 3:15) and is our calling and responsibility (2 Tim. 1:13ff). But there is no benefit to maintaining a doctrinal purity and clarity without devotion; nor is their benefit in keeping devotion without […]

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Count your many blessings

Today’s reading in the Psalms is a precursor to the hymn, “Count Your Many Blessings.” Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count. Take […]

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Self-examination and boasting

Self-examination will lead to boasting. At least that’s what Paul says.  And he says such self-examination and boasting is good and beneficial: But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. Two truths dominate this verse: the […]

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Sunday Leftovers (1/25/09)

One of the values of Scripture is that it teaches us — for we do not know and understand. Given that we are taught by Scripture a fair question to ask, then, is “what kind of learner are you?’ It is possible to be a Bible learner that learns without a Biblical purpose.  We might […]

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Bible Reading Reflections, Mark 1-6

“And He appointed twelve, so that they would be with Him and that He could send them out to preach…” (Mark 3:14) Seven words form the foundation of Christ’s discipleship process for His band of twelve followers.  So that they would be with Him. A few fishermen.  A couple little brothers.  A tax collector.  A […]

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Scripture memory and meditation

Continuing the thought from Sunday’s sermon on Psalm 119, and the significance of meditating on the word of God, here are several resources that I have found helpful in thinking about and being encouraged in Scripture memory: Justin Taylor, “Meditating on God’s Word” Don Whitney’s resources on meditation John Piper, “If My Words Abide in […]

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