When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, ‘Go take to yourself a wife of harlotry…” (Hosea 1:2) Valentine’s Day is not a religious holiday. There are no special services in the church; no Hallmark cards with biblical scenes; no special hymns dedicated to this day being considered for inclusion in […]
In the book of Exodus there is a conflict between Jehovah and Pharaoh. The conflict is really between Jehovah and the false gods of Egypt. The ten plagues as they are recorded in the book of Exodus represent ten mighty acts of judgment against Egypt and her false gods. The ten acts of judgment serve […]
My purpose for this brief article is to ask you to consider the valuable ministry which Miami International Seminary (MINTS) is doing and to consider to support the work that I hope to do for the seminary. Many of you know about the work of Rev. Neal Hegeman. Rev. Hageman is an experienced missionary, and […]
He is There and He is Not Silent is the title Francis Schaeffer gave to his book in 1972. Did Francis Schaeffer get it right? Are you sure God is there? Are you sure God is not silent? Fire rages across the plains of the West destroying thousands of acres of land, incinerating homes, claiming […]
Read Genesis 32:22–33 Introduction Jacob faces his brother Esau who, he learns, is coming to meet Jacob with four hundred men. Jacob’s response is typical of those who feel their back is to the wall: he becomes physically defensive, sends great gifts to Esau, but most importantly, he is thrown back to prayer to the […]
Read Genesis 33 Introduction Jacob has met a “mysterious Stranger,” and they wrestled through the night. It becomes apparent that this Man is no ordinary human being. He gives to Jacob a new name—Israel—since he has struggled with God and won. Jacob has become the “winner” by sovereign permission and divine appointment. With this new […]
Some of the childish things I put away when I became an adult were the songs I sang as a little girl. But lately they have been on my mind. I realize that, although many were of questionable value, some—like “Jesus Loves Me” and “Trust and Obey”—were pearls of great price. When I was young, […]
Most police officers of the Greater Manchester (Police) Forces in England are upset by having to walk a political tightrope. In 2000 all the members were given a sixteen-page document to read, to learn and inwardly digest if they were not to risk falling afoul of their superiors. This tract, entitled The Power of Language, […]
On its face, the Reformed understanding of our Lord’s command to make disciples and to baptize them and their children (Matt 28:81–20; Acts 2:39) seems clear enough. However, judging by modern discussions in the confessional Reformed and Presbyterian churches, things are more complicated than one might expect. Over the last thirty years, considerable disagreement has […]
Attempts to explain the conflict between Jesus and the religious rulers of His day have become so well known that the modern church has learned several cliché answers. Some claim that the religious rulers were more wicked than the sinners who believed in Christ, and thus Christ condemned them. A similar claim is that Christ […]