Audiobook Review: Counselor by Ann Aschauer

I have internet again! This is a fiction audio book review…because Pastors also need a break from heavy reading!

Ann Aschauer. Counselor.  Newark, NJ: Audible, January 31, 2023. 4 hours and 49 minutes.

5 out of 5

Purchase: Amazon

I have never been much of a fiction novel reader so an audiobook fiction is definitely something different for me.  I thought I try something new especially since this is a Christian audiobook and being a Christian that gathered my interests.  It was a pleasant experience with this audiobook and it was the first one I purchased from Audible and I enjoyed it!

This Sunday at Church: Pray for those in your church who are truckers

This Sunday at Church I want to encourage you to do the following: Pray for those in your church who are truckers.

Apologetics Sermon Illustration #84: No more MCDONALD’S FILET-O-FISH Fridays and alleged Bible contradictions

GO TO PART 83

Point: Sometimes when one engage in apologetics the issue of alleged Bible contradiction comes up and the example given of a Bible contradiction really isn’t a Bible contradiction but an instance of different timing.  Think for instance of those who raise the question “Bible Contradiction? When did Jesus’s temple tantrum occur?” Remember its not a contradiction if something changes over time.  For instance, it is not a contradiction when someone claims to be twenty years ago and a year later claims to be twenty one years old. Are there examples we can give in other areas outside of the Bible of how such a tactic to claim there’s a Bible contradiction is problematic?

Bible Contradiction? Who survived to see the promised land during the Exodus?

 

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Who survived to see the promised land during the Exodus?

Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes shows a Bible contradiction:

Only Caleb

“Certainly all the people who have seen My glory and My signs which I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these ten times and have not listened to My voice, 23 shall by no means see the land which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who were disrespectful to Me see it. 24 But as for My servant Caleb, because he has had a different spirit and has followed Me fully, I will bring him into the land which he entered, and his descendants shall take possession of it.” (Numbers 14:22-24)

Both Caleb and Joshua

“those men who brought the bad report of the land also died by a plague in the presence of the Lord. 38 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh remained alive out of those men who went to spy out the land.” (Numbers 14:37-38)

“But among these there was not a man of those who were numbered by Moses and Aaron the priest, who numbered the sons of Israel in the wilderness of Sinai. 65 For the Lord had said of them, “They shall certainly die in the wilderness.” And not a man was left of them, except Caleb the son of Jephunneh and Joshua the son of Nun.” (Numbers 26:64-65)

“So the Lord’s anger burned on that day, and He swore, saying, 11 ‘None of the men who came up from Egypt, from twenty years old and upward, shall see the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; for they did not follow Me fully, 12 except Caleb the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua the son of Nun; for they have followed the Lord fully.’” (Numbers 32:10-12)

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

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

Want to Write a Guest Posts for Our Blog for April 2023?

Just FYI, I have been on the road this week so pardon how slow I am with reading your blogs.  Which lead me to bring this up: Do you want to write a guest post here on our blog later in April?

Late February 2023 Presuppositional Apologetics’ Links

Here are Presuppositional Apologetics’ links gathered between February 22nd-28th, 2023.  Enjoy!

1.) Cave to the Cross’ Apologetics – Ep.214 – Apologetics By John Frame – Transcendental Argument – Pt. 1

2.) Bible Contradiction? Did Balaam curse the Israelites?

3.) Christian Students and Advanced Degrees

4.) Psalm 109 is Messianic

5.) HGA Episode 6. Book Review On Van TIl’s Apologetic by Greg Bahnsen

6.) Reviews of Greg Bahnsen’s Apologetics Trilogy

Missed the last round up?  Check out the re-blogged post from a friend  or that of another reblog here 

Reviews of Commentaries on Exodus

It took a long time but I finally got done with teaching my girls through the entire book of Exodus as part of our home Bible study!

I thought it be a good idea to review the Bible commentaries on Exodus that I found helpful!

5 out of 5

Purchase: Westminster | Amazon

Looking for a devotional commentary on Exodus?  I highly recommend this one by Philip Graham Ryken!  It is a massive work (1247 pages!) but don’t let the size scare you; general Christian readers and also Bible teachers will benefit from this book by an esteemed pastor.  The book is an exceptional expositional commentary that is something in the middle between a devotional and an exegetical technical commentary and yet sometimes some of the insights in this book point out great points from the biblical texts that other technical commentaries might have missed.  I recommend this commentary as personal devotional or resources for Bible study leaders, Sunday school teachers and preachers and pastors.

Reviews of Greg Bahnsen’s Apologetics Trilogy

Readers of this blog over the years will realize Greg Bahnsen has shaped my apologetics method more than others.

I appreciated his lectures and his books.

Of the many books he’s written there’s three that people have called Greg Bahnsen’s trilogy.

This Sunday at Church: Pray for those who are engaged to be married

This Sunday at Church I want to encourage you to do the following: Pray for those who are engaged to be married.

How to Teach the Bible Part 1: Interpretation

Establish the need: Do you know how to teach the Bible?  Do you see the responsibility of teaching the Bible?  Even if you will never be a pastor, you might be teaching the Bible in Sunday School, Bible studies, Children’s ministry or as a husband or as a mother to children.  So how do you teach the Bible?

Purpose: Today we shall begin part one of our series of how to teach the Bible focusing specifically with how to interpret the Bible so that we can be faithful to what God’s Word says and teach it accurately.

1. Step 1: Read the Word of God
2. Step 2: Ask questions of the Word of God
3. Step 3: Make observation of the Word of God
4. Step 4: Use Good Resources
5. Step 5: Pray to God for help in all the process

Bible Contradiction? Did Balaam curse the Israelites?

For today’s post we will tackle the question the Skeptic Annotated Bible asked: Did Balaam curse the Israelites?

Here are the two answers which the skeptic believes shows a Bible contradiction:

Yes

Balaam was hired to curse the Israelites.

“No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the assembly of the Lord; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, may ever enter the assembly of the Lord, 4 because they did not meet you with food and water on the way when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.” (Deuteronomy 23:3-4)

Balaam cursed the Israelites, but God turned his curse into a blessing.

“Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, rose up and fought against Israel, and he sent messengers and summoned Balaam the son of Beor to curse you. 10 But I was not willing to listen to Balaam. So he had to bless you, and I saved you from his hand.” (Joshua 24:9-10)

“On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud as the people listened; and there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite was ever to enter the assembly of God, 2 because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.” (Nehemiah 13:1-2)

No

Balaam refused the curse the Israelites

“And he took up his discourse and said, “From Aram Balak has brought me, Moab’s king from the mountains of the East, saying, ‘Come, declare Jacob cursed for me, And come, curse Israel!’ 8 How am I to put a curse on him upon whom God has not put a curse? And how am I to curse him whom the Lord has not cursed?” (Numbers 23:7-8)

“Then Balak’s anger burned against Balaam, and he struck his hands together; and Balak said to Balaam, “I called you to curse my enemies, but behold, you have persisted in blessing them these three times!” (Numbers 24:10)

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

Here’s a closer look at whether or not there is a contradiction:

Presuppositional Apologetics’ Round Up: Third Week of February 2023

Here are the links related to Presuppositional apologetics gathered between February 15th-21st, 2023.

1.) Cave to the Cross Accepting Evidence – Ep.213 – Apologetics By John Frame – Some Methodological Considerations – Part 2

2.) Psalm 69 is Messianic

3.) Human Rights and the Image of God

4.) Bible Contradiction? How many generations were between Levi and Moses?

5.) EPIC Presup Rountable Discussion

6.) Renton Rathbun’ Introduction to Apologetics Lectures

7.) A Charge to Contemporary Apologists

8.) The Skeptic Annotated Bible Getting Hung Up with KJV use of “Unicorns” in the Bible

9.) Ready to Reason

10.) Veritas Domain Facebook Meme

Missed the last round up?  Check out the re-blogged post from a friend

Psalm 109 is Messianic

Establish the need: Is this Psalm Messianic? Many Bible scholars seems to think it is not, but what about you?

Purpose: In this session we will see three points concerning this Psalm’s Messianic character so that we would be at awe with God.

1. Psalm 109 is Messianic because the New Testament uses it that way
2. Psalm 109 is Messianic because of context of Book 5 of the Psalms
3. Psalm 109 is Messianic because of details within Psalm 109

The Skeptic Annotated Bible Getting Hung Up with KJV use of “Unicorns” in the Bible

 

The Skeptic Annotated Bible website under the “Science and history” criticism of the book of Psalms notes that the King James Version talk about unicorns.

 

A Prayer Answered During 2020 Chaos

2020 was a crazy year.

During all the unrest with the riots with George Flyod I started doing something regularly on Twitter: Pray for antifa types and other criminals. I don’t mean protestors; I mean those who were breaking things and hurting people. I would pray for these people by name; or if no names were mentioned I would pray for them according to the details of what they have done.