Posted in Book Review, Children's book, Christianity, God, Jesus, Reformed, Theology, tagged book review, Children, Children's book, God, Jesus on October 9, 2019| 12 Comments »
I haven’t done our blog’s “wee-kids Wednesdays” for a few weeks but here’s this week’s review of Children’s books.
Tim Ladwig. Stories Jesus Told: The Lost Son Comes Home. Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House, August 7th 2019. 32 pp.
5 out of 5
Purchase: Amazon
Want a story that tells Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son to kids? This is it. This illustrated children’s book is on one of my favorite parables that Jesus taught. And now I get to share this with my children!
Posted in Book Review, Christian marriage, Christianity, God, Marriage, Reformed, Theology, tagged book review, Christian marriage, Christianity, God, Marriage, Reformed, Theology on October 7, 2019| 12 Comments »
Carrie Foldberg. Help! I’m in a Painful Marriage. Wapwallopen, PA: Shepherd Press, December 3rd 2018. 64 pp.
5 out of 5
Purchase: Amazon
Are you in a difficult marriage or know someone who is in a painful marriage who can benefit from a booklet that would apply biblical counseling to the situation? This work is a helpful resource; don’t underestimate its size! It is the second title that I read from Shepherd Press’ “Lifeline Mini-books” series and thus far this series have really impressed me.
I read this and discussed it with my wife after she read it. My wife pointed out to me that the author in the introduction mentioning her own struggle in her marriage was really helpful to build a bridge with any reader that might be going through marriage difficulties. This is followed by four chapters in the book. Chapter One is titled “Why Does My Marriage Hurt So Much?” and goes over what God’s design for marriage looks like. Chapter two is about bringing Jesus into the picture of your marriage while chapter three explores further of how Jesus is our example in dealing with marriage pain. Chapter four gives us more personal application. After the conclusion the book also gives personal application projects that’s helpful for applications.
I really enjoyed the author’s call for readers to look towards Christ. She also did a good job bringing verses to bear in a way that makes readers look towards God and Christ but also give hope. This is a resource for someone in marriage difficulty but also for any married couple to read too. I recommend it, and give this a five out of five.
Posted in Bible, Christianity, Devotion, Devotional, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, purity, Reformed, Theology, tagged Bible, Christ, Christianity, Devotion, Devotional, God, Jesus, Jesus Christ, purity, Reformed, Theology on October 5, 2019| 14 Comments »
This is from my daily Greek exercise of sight reading some time ago, courtesy of Vincent S Artale Jr.
Our text is from the Greek translation of Matthew 5:8. Here is my translation:
“μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ
Blessed are the pure in heartὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν θεὸν ὄψονται ”
Because they will see God
Here are some observations:
Posted in Bible, Bible contradiction, bible difficulties, christian apologetics, Christianity, God, Presuppositional Apologetics, presuppositionalism, Reformed, Theology, tagged Bible, Bible contradiction, bible difficulties, christian apologetics, Christianity, God, Reformed, Theology on October 4, 2019| 20 Comments »
For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Who owns the earth?
Here are the three answers which the skeptic believes indicate a Bible contradiction:
“He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth…Abram said to the king of Sodom, “I have sworn to the Lord God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth,” (Genesis 14:19, 22)
“Moses said to him, “As soon as I go out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the Lord; the thunder will cease and there will be hail no longer, that you may know that the earth is the Lord’s.” (Exodus 9:29)
“Now then, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be My [a]own possession among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine;” (Exodus 19:5)
“Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the highest heavens, the earth and all that is in it.” (Deuteronomy 10:14)
“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O Lord, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.” (1 Chronicles 29:11)
“The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, The world, and those who dwell in it.” (Psalm 24:1)
“If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the world is Mine, and all it contains.” (Psalm 50:12)
“The heavens are Yours, the earth also is Yours; The world and all it contains, You have founded them.” ( Psalm 89:11)
“for the earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains.” (1 Corinthians 10:26)
“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and *showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9 and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”” ( Matthew 4:8-9)
“And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. 6 And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and [b]its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.” (Luke 4:5-6)
“The heavens are the heavens of the Lord, But the earth He has given to the sons of men.“(Psalm 115:16)
(All Scriptural quotation comes from the New American Standard Bible)
Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:
Posted in Christianity, Dinosaur, God, homeschool, homeschooling, Reformed, Stegosaurus, Theology, tagged Christianity, Dinosaur, God, homeschool, homeschooling, Reformed, Stegosaurus, Theology on October 2, 2019| 12 Comments »
Purpose: To explore and know more about God’s creation of Stegosaurus.
Book(s) read:
Susan Gray’s Stegosaurus.
Elaine Landau’s Stegosaurus.
Other tools:
Paper
Pencil
Crayons
Pictures of dinosaurs
Measuring tape
Learning Objectives:
Posted in Bible, Christianity, God, Psalms, Reformed, Theology, tagged Bible, Christianity, God, Psalm, Reformed, Theology on October 1, 2019| 13 Comments »
Responsibilities During Trials: Psalm 18 Part 2
Psalm 18:4-50
4 The cords of death encompassed me, And the torrents of [c]ungodliness [d]terrified me. 5 The cords of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. 6 In my distress I called upon the Lord, And cried to my God for help; He heard my voice out of His temple, And my cry for help before Him came into His ears. 7 Then the earth shook and quaked; And the foundations of the mountains were trembling And were shaken, because He was angry. 8 Smoke went up [f]out of His nostrils, And fire from His mouth devoured; Coals were kindled by it. 9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down With thick darkness under His feet. 10 He rode upon a cherub and flew; And He sped upon the wings of the wind. 11 He made darkness His hiding place, His [g]canopy around Him, Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies. 12 From the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds, Hailstones and coals of fire. 13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens, And the Most High uttered His voice, Hailstones and coals of fire. 14 He sent out His arrows, and scattered them, And lightning flashes in abundance, and [h]routed them. 15 Then the channels of water appeared, And the foundations of the world were [i]laid bare At Your rebuke, O Lord, At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils. 16 He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters. 17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, And from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. 18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity, But the Lord was my stay. 19 He brought me forth also into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me. 20 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness; According to the cleanness of my hands He has recompensed me. 21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, And have not wickedly departed from my God. 22 For all His ordinances were before me, And I did not put away His statutes from me. 23 I was also [j]blameless with Him, And I kept myself from my iniquity. 24 Therefore the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness, According to the cleanness of my hands in His eyes. 25 With the kind You show Yourself kind; With the [k]blameless You show Yourself blameless; 26 With the pure You show Yourself pure, And with the crooked You show Yourself [l]astute. 27 For You save an afflicted people, But haughty eyes You abase. 28 For You light my lamp; The Lord my God illumines my darkness. 29 For by You I can [m]run upon a troop; And by my God I can leap over a wall. 30 As for God, His way is [n]blameless; The word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. 31 For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God, 32 The God who girds me with strength And [o]makes my way [p]blameless? 33 He makes my feet like hinds’ feet, And sets me upon my high places. 34 He trains my hands for battle, So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 35 You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, And Your right hand upholds me; And Your [q]gentleness makes me great. 36 You enlarge my steps under me, And my [r]feet have not slipped. 37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them, And I did not turn back until they were consumed. 38 I shattered them, so that they were not able to rise; They fell under my feet. 39 For You have girded me with strength for battle; You have [s]subdued under me those who rose up against me. 40 You have also made my enemies turn their backs to me, And I [t]destroyed those who hated me. 41 They cried for help, but there was none to save, Even to the Lord, but He did not answer them. 42 Then I beat them fine as the dust before the wind; I emptied them out as the mire of the streets. 43 You have delivered me from the contentions of the people; You have placed me as head of the nations; A people whom I have not known serve me. 44 As soon as they hear, they obey me; Foreigners [u]submit to me. 45 Foreigners fade away, And come trembling out of their [v]fortresses. 46 The Lord lives, and blessed be my rock; And exalted be the God of my salvation, 47 The God who executes vengeance for me, And subdues peoples under me. 48 He delivers me from my enemies; Surely You lift me above those who rise up against me; You rescue me from the violent man. 49 Therefore I will give thanks to You among the nations, O Lord, And I will sing praises to Your name. 50 He gives great [w]deliverance to His king, And shows lovingkindness to His anointed, To David and his [x]descendants forever.
Purpose: You need to see live out three responsibilities even as we go through trials in our life so that you continue to have hope and live your life for God.
Introductory matters
Posted in Bible, Book Review, Christianity, Eugene Merrill, God, Mark Rooker, old testament, Reformed, Theology, tagged Bible, book review, Christianity, Eugene Merrill, God, Mark Rooker, Old Testament, Reformed, Theology on September 28, 2019| 12 Comments »
Eugene H. Merrill, Mark Rooker and Michael A. Grisanti. The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, June 15th 2011. 560 pp.
5 out of 5
Purchase: Amazon
How well do you know the Old Testament? If you are like most Christians you can improve on your knowledge of the Old Testament. In this book The World and the Word: An Introduction to the Old Testament three Old Testament scholars collaborated to write a helpful textbook on the Old Testament. Together these scholars have a combined experience of decades if not even a century worth of research, teaching and writing on the subject of Old Testament. Readers will greatly benefit from reading this title.
