Interesting post by Pastor Shane Walker over at Faith Seeking Understanding regarding the armor of God and the armor of Satan:
Fragment on Spiritual Disciplines: Satan's Armor
Fragment on Spiritual Disciplines: Satan's Armor
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Kingdom
June 16, 2013
Luke 17
"The Kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed.."
Find the Kingdom - the coming of Jesus was the first of three phases in the unfolding of the Kingdom. Jesus comes, the church proliferates, and Jesus comes again. Three progressive phases of unfolding of the Kingdom of God.
Baltimore Poem
This was originally published in the UB Post back in 2002
When Pigeons Fly High
Up on Mount Vernon in Baltimore
He sits with his friends
He’s got time; he’s got smiles
For those who care for him.
They all gather round
It’s their little meeting place
“Hey Ben how you been?”
“Been fine Joe can’t complain.”
Monday, February 18, 2013
Rich Veins: Psalm 133
when brothers dwell in unity!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the LORD has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Who Do You Say that I am?
Luke 9:1-20
Thoughts on Sermons at Andover Baptist
Real power in this world seems to reside with those who have the means to coerce the populace. Whoever has the guns, money, or food seems to come out on top. But this power is only temporary. It is merely the appearance of power because the true power lies with God.
This was illustrated in Worcester v. Georgia where missionaries refused to get licensed to be on Native American land in a bid to keep the government from forcibly moving them off of their land. The supreme court held for the missionaries but the President and the leaders in Georgia essentially ignored the Supreme Court and mocked the fact that the court had no means to enforce their decision. But we must see that even these injustices are temporary - and that the true power lies with God and His faithful servants.
Thoughts on Sermons at Andover Baptist
Real power in this world seems to reside with those who have the means to coerce the populace. Whoever has the guns, money, or food seems to come out on top. But this power is only temporary. It is merely the appearance of power because the true power lies with God.
This was illustrated in Worcester v. Georgia where missionaries refused to get licensed to be on Native American land in a bid to keep the government from forcibly moving them off of their land. The supreme court held for the missionaries but the President and the leaders in Georgia essentially ignored the Supreme Court and mocked the fact that the court had no means to enforce their decision. But we must see that even these injustices are temporary - and that the true power lies with God and His faithful servants.
An Infinite Debt. Forgiven!
Luke 7:36-50 (January 13, 2013)
Thoughts on Andover Baptist sermons.
A pastor asked his friend if he had heard of a particular theologian and what he thought of him. The response was surprisingly strong: "Heard of him? I would throw myself in front of bus for him." Why did this man have such a strong affinity for a theologian? It turns out that this man had been very close to being denied a prestigious degree by a panel of biased judges and this particular theologian had stepped in and granted the degree.
I think of Friday in the book Robinson Crusoe. He'd been saved by Robinson from certain death and pledged himself as his lifelong servant in gratitude. When we've been given much, and forgiven much, we love much.
Thoughts on Andover Baptist sermons.
A pastor asked his friend if he had heard of a particular theologian and what he thought of him. The response was surprisingly strong: "Heard of him? I would throw myself in front of bus for him." Why did this man have such a strong affinity for a theologian? It turns out that this man had been very close to being denied a prestigious degree by a panel of biased judges and this particular theologian had stepped in and granted the degree.
I think of Friday in the book Robinson Crusoe. He'd been saved by Robinson from certain death and pledged himself as his lifelong servant in gratitude. When we've been given much, and forgiven much, we love much.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Fear the Right Thing
Luke 8:19-58
My thoughts on sermons at Andover Baptist.
What are you afraid of? Recently a big truck full of goat cheese exploded in a tunnel in northern Norway. It would be absurd to go around frightened of cheese trucks. But in fact, we often fear the wrong things in life. It is absurd to fear the things of this world more than God.
My thoughts on sermons at Andover Baptist.
What are you afraid of? Recently a big truck full of goat cheese exploded in a tunnel in northern Norway. It would be absurd to go around frightened of cheese trucks. But in fact, we often fear the wrong things in life. It is absurd to fear the things of this world more than God.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Rich Veins: Ecclesiastes 7 & 8
Ecclesiastes 7:21-22
Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.
Ecclesiastes 8:12-13
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before Him. But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.
Do not take to heart all the things that people say, lest you hear your servant cursing you. Your heart knows that many times you yourself have cursed others.
Ecclesiastes 8:12-13
Though a sinner does evil a hundred times and prolongs his life, yet I know that it will be well with those who fear God, because they fear before Him. But it will not be well with the wicked, neither will he prolong his days like a shadow, because he does not fear God.
Lord, Do Not Trouble Yourself, For I Am Not Worthy
Review Luke 7:1-36 (January 6, 2013)
My thoughts on sermons at Andover Baptist.
Where does life come from? Even though scientists purport to know the answer, they end up chasing their tail. At the end of all of the links in the evolutionary chain there is nothing holding it up. There is no explanation for where matter comes from and no explanation for how non-living matter became life. Of course you could agree with some who insist that life, "formed on the backs of crystals" but for many this is not a satisfying explanation. Jesus came to bring true life and turn the values of the world upside down.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Newtown
With the deaths of twenty children and eight adults we are confronted with ourselves. Is the sin in us so different from the sin in the one who killed these children? Yes and no.
Yes it is different. It is one thing to hate someone and another to lash out in violence. It is one thing to lack self control but quite another to go on a killing spree. How can sins like anger, irritability, hate, and rebellion be compared to these murders?
These are categorically different things right?
Yes it is different. It is one thing to hate someone and another to lash out in violence. It is one thing to lack self control but quite another to go on a killing spree. How can sins like anger, irritability, hate, and rebellion be compared to these murders?
These are categorically different things right?
Monday, December 17, 2012
Loving Our Enemies and The Snowball Effect
Review Luke 6:27-38 and Ephesians 3
My thoughts on sermons at Andover Baptist.
Loving Our Enemies
Who do we love? Most of us love many people. Friends and family. But if we carefully think about who we love, we may realize that we don't love many people that don't give us some advantage. Think about it - who do you love with no advantage to yourself? It is a tough question because it is unpleasant to admit that mixed in with our good and sincere feelings of love are usually selfish motives as well.
For instance, maybe the love we have for our parents is tinged with a selfish emphasis on what we can get from them. Or maybe our love for our children is mixed with a sinful pride in how they positively reflect on us. We would be naive not to admit that our hearts are filled with these sorts of mixed feelings.
But how does God love us?
My thoughts on sermons at Andover Baptist.
Loving Our Enemies
Who do we love? Most of us love many people. Friends and family. But if we carefully think about who we love, we may realize that we don't love many people that don't give us some advantage. Think about it - who do you love with no advantage to yourself? It is a tough question because it is unpleasant to admit that mixed in with our good and sincere feelings of love are usually selfish motives as well.
For instance, maybe the love we have for our parents is tinged with a selfish emphasis on what we can get from them. Or maybe our love for our children is mixed with a sinful pride in how they positively reflect on us. We would be naive not to admit that our hearts are filled with these sorts of mixed feelings.
But how does God love us?
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Rich Veins: Isaiah 30
I'm hoping to begin a series of posts on encouraging passages of scripture which are less familiar. I'm calling these posts "rich veins," because I think of stumbling across these encouraging and interesting passages as being analogous to a miner uncovering a rich vein of copper, iron, or gold.
Please comment with some of your own.
I will just share this encouraging passage of scripture and dispense with further comments:
"Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you,
and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.
For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, “Be gone!”
And he will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and bread, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. In that day your livestock will graze in large pastures, and the oxen and the donkeys that work the ground will eat seasoned fodder, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork. And on every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the LORD binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow."
(Isaiah 30:18-26 ESV)
Please comment with some of your own.
I will just share this encouraging passage of scripture and dispense with further comments:
"Therefore the LORD waits to be gracious to you,
and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you.
For the LORD is a God of justice;
blessed are all those who wait for him.
For a people shall dwell in Zion, in Jerusalem; you shall weep no more. He will surely be gracious to you at the sound of your cry. As soon as he hears it, he answers you. And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide himself anymore, but your eyes shall see your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. Then you will defile your carved idols overlaid with silver and your gold-plated metal images. You will scatter them as unclean things. You will say to them, “Be gone!”
And he will give rain for the seed with which you sow the ground, and bread, the produce of the ground, which will be rich and plenteous. In that day your livestock will graze in large pastures, and the oxen and the donkeys that work the ground will eat seasoned fodder, which has been winnowed with shovel and fork. And on every lofty mountain and every high hill there will be brooks running with water, in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall. Moreover, the light of the moon will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun will be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day when the LORD binds up the brokenness of his people, and heals the wounds inflicted by his blow."
(Isaiah 30:18-26 ESV)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)