Free PDF and Review: Fatherhood (Free Grace Broadcaster)

Various Authors. Fatherhood.  Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library, June 20, 2014. 48 pp.

5 out of 5

Free: Chapel Library

Purchase: Amazon

What does the Bible have to say about fatherhood and also what are the insights of various historic Protestant preachers and pastors have from the Bible on fatherhood?  This booklet is a great resource for that.  It was originally an issue from the Free Grace Broadcaster from 2014 but the truth found in its pages is timeless.  There’s various compiled writings from John Calvin, A.W Pink, Richard Baxter, William Gurnall and Thomas Watson.  This is my second Free Grace Broadcaster I read.  The earlier one I read was on Messianic Prophecies.  Like the first one this particular booklet too was a spiritual delight!

Read Full Post »

Genesis 22 is Messianic Typology

Establish the need: Does Genesis 22 point us towards Christ?

Purpose: We will consider how Genesis 22 anticipates the Messiah is Jesus.

• The threat to the Messianic line teaches us to have faith in God’s promises
• There are messianic typologies
• To appreciate how this chapter is a type pointing to Christ

Read Full Post »

Review: Two Biblical Counseling Booklets for Single Parents

Quick note before I get to my book reviews: WordPress notified me that I’ve been blogging on here for 16 years!

Two book reviews below: I found the first one to minister more to the heart than the second; but the second was helpful with making readers consider many other issues related to single parents.

Carol Trahan.  Help! I’m a Single Mom.  Wapwallopen, PA: Shepherd Press, March 15, 2011. 60 pp.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

While researching to teach a session on single parents I picked up this biblical counseling booklet to read and I found it very helpful.  The author is a biblical counselor and teacher for women’s conference.  She’s also a single mother and her story in the beginning of the booklet was sad and moving and would lead readers to appreciate her insight with her loss and tragedy.  As a pastor I thought this booklet went more for the heart rather than being practical about actions per se but this is very good and I as a pastor have several copies on hand ready to give out.  These biblical counseling booklets from Shepherds Press are such precious gold and their insights are very helpful and its wonderful that so much can be jammed packed in a small booklet of under sixty pages.

Read Full Post »

Free PDF and Review: Saul’s Conversion by George Whitefield

What have you been reading lately?

George Whitefield. Saul’s Conversion. Pensacola, FL: Chapel Library, June 11, 2020. 24 pp.

4 out of 5

Free: Chapel Library

Purchase: Amazon

Can God use the persecution of Christians for the good of bringing nonbelievers to Christ?  Christians would know the right answer is yes yet many would not to be persecuted if they don’t have to be.  In this booklet famous preacher and evangelist George Whitefield wrote us something encouraging and edifying with a look at Saul and how God changed this man that persecuted the church to become an Apostle and incredible Gospel preacher name Paul.  While George Whitefield delivered us his words hundreds of years ago (he lived from 1714 to 1770) I think what he has to say is relevant for 21^st Century believers as the world gets more secular and persecutions of Christians is on the rise worldwide.

Read Full Post »

Genesis 49:8-12 is Messianic Prophecy

Establish the need: Did you know that within Genesis 49:8-12 there is a prediction of the coming Messiah?

Purpose: We will consider how Genesis 49:8-12 anticipates the Messiah is Jesus.

1. Clues from context of Pentateuch
2. Clues from within Genesis 49:8-12
3. Clues from the Aramaic Targum
4. Clues from the Rabbis

Read Full Post »

Apologetics Sermon Illustration #81: Objections that Churches do not even recognize other churches and question of how many countries are there

GO TO PART 80

 

Point: What do you say when people say that Christianity can’t be true because churches cannot even agree what churches are legitimate and what churches are churches and what’s a church in the first place?  I do not think there’s much weight as it might seem initially.

Read Full Post »

Genesis 3:15 is Messianic Prophecy

Establish the need: What was the first place that predicts the coming Messiah?

Purpose: We will consider how Genesis 3:15 anticipates the Messiah is Jesus.

• Clues from within Genesis 3:15
• Clues from Eve’s expectation in Genesis 4:1
• Clues from the Aramaic Targum
• Clues from the expectation of the coming of the Messiah with LamechClue from the expectation of the coming of the Messiah with Noah

Read Full Post »

Leading Home Bible Study for Children

Establish the need: How do I teach my children?

Purpose: This session we will look at three points concerning

1. Parents have an obligation to teach their children
2. Practical advice when you teach
3. Help when a child is not interested in the Bible study

Read Full Post »

Review: Angry Children: Understanding And Helping Your Child Regain Control

The next few weeks I’ll be reviewing various booklets on parenting in light of my preparation to teach overseas.

Michael Emlet.  Angry Children: Understanding And Helping Your Child Regain Control.  Greensboro, NC: New Growth  Press, April 28, 2008. 24 pp.

4 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

What help is there for a parent of an angry child?  This biblical booklet addressing the parent on this issue is helpful.  It is a from a minibook series published by New Growth Press which feature booklets authored by various counselors from the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF).  The author Michael Emlet is a faculty member of CCEF and a family physician before becoming a biblical counselor.  I appreciate with his background he is still able to write in a way that’s accessible for the general Christian reader.  It was a worthwhile resource for Biblical and Pastoral Counselors to give parents who are are parenting an angry child.

Read Full Post »

Church: When the teaching is sound but the fellowship can be better

Over the years online there have been brothers in sisters online who want to find solid sound Bible teaching churches but there’s not much option nearby where they live.  On various social media platforms I have found many of these precious saints and I feel for them and pray for them.  Some of these individuals were previously in churches that can have great programs, and a church that is sociable.  But the importance of the church being sound in doctrine matters.  So these believer leave in search of a church that is Bible preaching and has sound biblical doctrines.

Now I know fellowship and sound teaching shouldn’t be mutually exclusive; and a healthy church would have both; and the relationship of the two would be sound Bible teaching drives the fellowship; that is, sound teaching is the basis of the fellowship.  How?  In the sense of the basis for unity and what is talked about, and sound doctrine is use for encouragement to one another.  But sometimes in our sin effected world, there’s a break and a gap between doctrines and fellowship.

In fact sometimes churches that are weak in doctrines or are not conscious of what the Bible teaches as applied to social interaction can technically be very sociable but the social interaction might not be fellowship or is a weak fellowship, at least in the biblical sense as I described it in the previous paragraph.  I think of when I was in high school showing up at a big church’s youth group and Tuesday night is their “fellowship” night and there was board games, video games and basketball but after a while I asked the youth pastor when does the Bible study start and he said not tonight and with the big youth pastor grin he said “Tonight’s fellowship night!”  There’s places to hang out but if every Tuesday night is that kind of fellowship night actually fellowship?

So there are times God might put two options before an individual and their family: There is a church with sound doctrines but it can improve on the fellowship, or a church with weak doctrines but there’s a lot of socializing/social activity.  Which ones do you pick?

Read Full Post »

Fact Sheet on Bible and Slavery

 

I do think looking at the Biblical data what is called slavery in the Bible most of the time refer to indentured servitude.

Below are five points to consider since sometimes people read into their idea of slavery into the Bible, or they think the Bible’s view of slavery is like some other slavery institutions in history.

Here’s my thoughts and observation:

Read Full Post »

A Ministry Lesson from “Entire Maine town forced to shut after its only clerk quits over denied vacation”

 

I think there’s a lesson from a newstory I saw “Entire Maine town forced to shut after its only clerk quits over denied vacation.”

Here’s the story:

 

I think there’s a lesson from a newstory I saw “Entire Maine town forced to shut after its only clerk quits over denied vacation.”

Here’s the story:

Read Full Post »

Throwback Thursday to what was said my Best Post

 

Been fatigued with ministry, so this is a late-in-the-day post.  This week also happen to be the 20 year anniversary of when I graduated Marine Corps boot camp, earning the title of Marine.  It was a time of introspection and some of the guys I served with on social media have been commenting about how we are getting older, that our body is not the same, that there’s wear and tear from service and just growing older.  One of the guys that commented have also been through a lot of injuries while serving.  I was thinking about how some of the guys I served with have changed (coming to Christ, being a better person, etc) while some still remain the crazy wild individuals that haven’t changed much.  Sometimes in my memory I picture myself in uniform the way my face looks like now and when I saw my Marine graduation pictures I realized all the guys look so young, like kids.  And I realize it was a long time ago and I’ve also changed.

 

Been fatigued with ministry, so this is a late-in-the-day post.  This week also happen to be the 20 year anniversary of when I graduated Marine Corps boot camp, earning the title of Marine.  It was a time of introspection and some of the guys I served with on social media have been commenting about how we are getting older, that our body is not the same, that there’s wear and tear from service and just growing older.  One of the guys that commented have also been through a lot of injuries while serving.  I was thinking about how some of the guys I served with have changed (coming to Christ, being a better person, etc) while some still remain the crazy wild individuals that haven’t changed much.  Sometimes in my memory I picture myself in uniform the way my face looks like now and when I saw my Marine graduation pictures I realized all the guys look so young, like kids.  And I realize it was a long time ago and I’ve also changed.

Read Full Post »

Help, I’m a Pastor and my Parents are now going to my church

Recently someone in a pastor’s forum shared his parents will be going to his church and if there’s any other pastors with any advice.

Here’s my pastoral reply:

Read Full Post »

Don’t forget to talk to your kids

This last weekend of ministry left me very fatigued and tired.  I’ve been having a hard time getting the basic of things done.  I usually study at night but I have been falling asleep with my books and the laptop open.  The administrative stuff was harder to take care of Sunday through today.  And there’s things I do need to do for this upcoming week: Email those of you who want to write guest posts sometime later in the fall, the agendas for our Church meeting with parents to discuss children ministry and youth group (which I also need to have someone translate into another language!) and also the routine teachings throughout the week.

But in the midst of this I had a long talk with my daughters over lunch just now.

Read Full Post »