Two short Martin Luther Videos I watched with my kids!

Happy Reformation Day!  I know the rest of the world celebrate Halloween.  But for me its the day I stop and thank God for the Reformation and God’s use of Martin Luther.

Read Full Post »

The Three Most Beautiful Scars in History

Scars are often things we don’t want and we find them unattractive.

Read Full Post »

Free PDF and Review: The Unwritten Wonders of the Grace of Christ

With so much going on in 2020 I thought it be good this afternoon I post a second post with something more devotional with focusing and loving Jesus.

Horatius Bonar. The Unwritten Wonders of the Grace of Christ.  Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library, January 7th 2016. 21 pp.

5 out of 5

Free: Chapel Library

Purchase: Amazon (99 cents for Kindle)

Are you in deep admiration of Jesus?  This booklet by Horatius Bonar is meant to warm our hearts to be at awe and worship of Jesus.  This pamphlet looks at John 21:25 which the beginning of the booklet quotes from the King James Version: “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.”  Bonar wants the readers to know that the works in Scripture we have are just “specimens” of what Christ has done; now Bonar avoid being speculative and saying things that are unbiblical since I know one can go off the deep end talking about things beyond Scripture; but Bonar’s point is that we should not miss the duty to marvel at Christ more knowing that there’s so much more He has done and accomplished during His earthly ministry.  To the end that the author wants one to love Jesus more and admire Him, I think this short work is worth its gold and packs its punch.

Read Full Post »

4 Lectures on Presuppositional Apologetics by Ricky Roldan

My dear brother Ricky W. Roldan of Urban Reformed Podcast is a blessing to me.  He recently taught a four part series over Zoom to believers in India.  This series was setup and hosted by B.O.A.T a Christian ministry in India.

I’m always glad to see Presuppositonal apologetics taught in different countries and context.  Actually I’m glad to see the Bible and the Gospel and a Biblical worldview is taught in various cultures and countries!

Here’s the series:

Read Full Post »

Proverbs and Free Markets

This is part 2 of our series on Biblical Economics.

 

Proverbs and Free Markets

Selected Verse

An observation: According to Ronald Nash: “Almost without exception, the major evangelical books about social justice that have appeared since 1960s have been authored by writers who reject and condemn political conservatism as a cruel, heartless and uncaring movement totally out of step with an informed political view.” [1]

This leads to two questions: Is Capitalism, as one of the things that Conservative Christians cherished, unbiblical?  Does a free market economics enjoy biblical support?

 

Purpose: Today we will explore the teachings in the book of Proverbs and how the blueprint for economics God offered is one we call Capitalism.

 

• Capitalism is Biblical since the Bible prohibit these means of acquiring goods and services:
  • Coercion (violence)
  • Fraud
  • Monopoly and statist interference
• Capitalism is Biblical since the Bible permit these means of acquiring goods and services:
  • Hard work
  • Acquiring wealth over time
  • Sales
  • Saving
• 4 Kinds of People in a biblical economy:
  • Biblically there are unvirtuous rich people
  • Biblically there are virtuous rich people
  • Biblically there are virtuous poor people
  • Biblically there are unvirtuous poor people

I realize the term “Capitalism” can be emotionally loaded; it is important to be specific of my definition of capitalism: “An ideal market economy in which people exchange goods and services in an environment free from coercion, fraud, monopoly, and statist interference with the exchange process.” [2]

 

Some more comments about the definition of capitalism

• I use this term interchangeably with free market economics.
• Capitalism is not to be confused with cronyism. According to Wikipedia this “is an economic system in which businesses thrive not as a result of risk, but rather as a return on money amassed through a nexus between a business class and the political class. This is often achieved by using state power rather than competition”[3]
• Nor should capitalism be confused with fascism. According to Wikipedia this “is a form of far-right, authoritarian ultranationalism characterized by dictatorial power, forcible suppression of opposition, as well as strong regimentation of society and of the economy which came to prominence in early 20th-century Europe” [4]

In the end you want an economy that allows the biblical means of acquiring goods and services to be a reality versus an unbiblical means of providing goods and services which fits the definition of “Capitalism” or Free Market economics.

Read Full Post »

Asking Others: What do you think is the most important thing in my life?

Wow I was working on a post last night and fell asleep early after a long weekend, and yesterday was a day I did a lot of physical stuff with family and helping others!

But that got me thinking about writing this post about what is the most important thing in your life.

Read Full Post »

Review: Against All Opposition: Defending the Christian Worldview by Greg Bahnsen

Greg Bahnsen. Against All Opposition: Defending the Christian Worldview. Powder Springs, GA: American Vision, May 2020. 254 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: American Vision

Want to read a book on what does Presuppositional Apologetics looks like especially with its application?  This book is published by American Vision that is edited from the audio teachings of the last Greg Bahnsen of a conference called Life Preparation Conference during the 1990s sponsored by American Vision.  Greg Bahnsen is one of my favorite apologists and reading this latest book made me remember all the reasons I love about Bahnsen: He was biblically driven, worldview conscious, laid out his presentation clearly and rigorous in his refutation of unbelieving worldview.

Read Full Post »

The Church during the days of Corona Virus: Pray for the Election

Our “This Sunday” series will be another a Corona Virus edition.  For this week: Pray for the Election.

Read Full Post »

Review: How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World

A weekend reading review!  A break from heavy theological reading and politics!  Because Pastors need a break also!  If you want to read more boooks like this one I also recommend the author’s Where Good Ideas Come from

Steven Johnson.  How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World. New York, NY: Riverhead Books, September 30th 2014. 293 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Do you want to read a book that makes you appreciate the forward progress of technological innovation that lead to the luxuries that we have today in the West that we consider essential but haven’t been enjoyed by most people in history?  This book is a fascinating read of technological development that help advance society and sometimes in ways that the original inventors and innovators would have never been able to have imagined.  I was glued reading this book!

Read Full Post »

Apologetics Sermon Illustration #58: Man breaks into home with signs “beware of dog” and unbelief

GO TO PART 57

 

Point: Presuppositional apologetics as founded by Cornelius Van Til make the point that the evidence for Christianity is plentiful but the reason for the unbelief is because of man’s sinfulness that suppress the truth in unrighteousness.  Sometimes people would object to the apologist and say that that is not true.  As a Christian apologist we say that the reality is there’s times when people can have so much evidence before them and still don’t live it out though the signs of its truth is all around them.  Can we think of an example outside the area of apologetics’ discussion where people chose not to believe the truth even though its obvious all around them but they chose instead to go ahead to live their life a certain way?

Picture: Here is a news story that illustrate the point of Presuppositional apologetics:

Read Full Post »

Bible Contradiction? Who were the sons of Heman?

 

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Who were the sons of Heman?

Here are the answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:

Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel, and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti, and Romamtiezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, and Mahazioth

“Of Heman, the sons of Heman: Bukkiah, Mattaniah, Uzziel, Shebuel and Jerimoth, Hananiah, Hanani, Eliathah, Giddalti and Romamti-ezer, Joshbekashah, Mallothi, Hothir, Mahazioth.” (1 Chronicles 25:4)

Jehiel, and Shimei

“and from the sons of Heman, Jehiel and Shimei; and from the sons of Jeduthun, Shemaiah and Uzziel.” (2 Chronicles 29:14)

(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)

Read Full Post »

Presuppostional Apologetics’ Links: Third Week of October 2020

Here are the links related to Presuppositional apologetics gathered between October 15th-21st, 2020.

1.) Presuppositional Apologetics 101

2.) Bible Contradiction? How long did Jotham reign?

3.) Cave to the Cross Ep. 94 – Tactics – Inside Out

4.) All of Apologist Greg Bahnsen’s MP3 Lectures now free for download!

5.) The Two Basic Worldviews

6.) ONE WAY TO GOD

7.) NEW Course by John Frame and Steve Childers on Perspectives in Theology: Watch the Perspectives 9 Video

8.) New blog in another language: “Masamang Mundo, Mabuting Diyos” (Introduction)

9.) Teaching: Coherence Theory of Truth & Pragmatic Theory of Truth

10.) Goodness of Material World (Part of our Biblical Worldview of Economics series)

 

Missed the last round up?  Check out the re-blogged post from a friend OR that of Another REBLOG HERE and another REBLOG HERE

Read Full Post »

Outline: A Godly Leader motivate others

Note: This is the sixth installment in our series on biblical leadership.

 

A Godly Leader motivate others

Selected Verse

Establish the need: Do you motivate others to do what needs to be done?

Purpose: Today we shall three points so that we would be intentionally decisive as a Christian and foundation to be a godly leader.

• The importance of motivating others
• The examples of motivating others
• How to cultivate the skill in motivating others

Quick Comments about meaning of motivation:

• The dictionary’s first definition: “enthusiasm for doing something:”[1]
• The dictionary’s other definition: “the need or reason for doing something.”[2]
• From the dictionary of motivation my definition of “motivate others” is the ability to encourage others to do what needs to be done, with the emphasis of the word “encourage” as opposed to force, threats, etc.

Read Full Post »

Goodness of Material World

This is part 1 of our new series on Biblical Economics and we begin with “Goodness of Material World.”  Besides economics this topic as a study is relevant for other areas such as a positive Christian view of our body, health and finance, or negatively against Gnostics worldview, cults, or a wrong kind of escapism, irresponsibility of Christian stewardship, etc.

Goodness of Material World

Selected Verse

Establish the need: Have you yourself said or ever heard anyone say: “The World is evil and bad, so we shouldn’t care about it and why care about learning how the world works? (Economics, History, Politics, Science, etc)”

 

Purpose: Today we will see that the Bible does not see the physical world is all bad and that it can be good so that we would desire to study and be good steward of what we are given and the responsibility we have in our own lives.

• When God Created the Physical World it was good
• Worship of God acknowledges the physical is good
• Jesus is Physical

Read Full Post »

Review: The Difference Jesus Makes: Trusting Him in Every Situation

 

H.B. Charles Jr. The Difference Jesus Makes: Trusting Him in Every Situation.  Chicago, IL: Moody Publishing, September 1st 2014. 144 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

Are you looking for a book that makes you love Jesus more and trust in Him in your life? You will be edified and love Jesus more as a result of reading this book.  The author H.B. Charles is a preacher that I have enjoyed hearing him before in the past during the Shepherd’s Conference.  It turns out I enjoy his book also!

Read Full Post »