At a recent gathering of book retailers and authors called ICRS (International Christian Retail Show), Crossway hosted a banquet for authors, retailers, and others. The keynote address at this banquet was given by John Piper.
Dr. Piper spends the first 15 minutes reflecting on the 400th anniversary of the KJV and its descendents in the RSV and ESV, as well as, humanly speaking, the enormous debt all of us in the English speaking world owe to William Tyndale. In the last 15 minutes John Piper presents seven reasons why the Bible is of infinite value.
“Wow, that’s great! Better than yesterday’s number!”
“As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word…”
In regards to recent comments from Mark Driscoll that the Church needs to have more manly leaders, the four elders of Happy Church, Odessa, Ukraine, clearly disagree.
Cats are so romantic: “It does not matter where I am, as long as were together”
This is a lot more than a bad hair day
Your Mail Order Bride has just arrived…
I just wonder how a realter would market this… “the innovative floor plan allows you to sit back and relax with a unique view of the city.”
“John, sometimes your posts just really annoy me!”
Here, Dr. R. C. Sproul explains how one can be Catholic (without being Roman Catholic), Evangelical and Reformed, all at the same time. Its an excellent short overview of the history of sound teaching within the Church of Jesus Christ. (From the series, “What is Reformed Theology?”)
Before I share an update, God used those seasons of ministry to plant a very deep love in my heart for the precious people of India. There are tears in my eyes as I recall the faces of young boys and girls as well as many adults making a profession of faith in the Lord Jesus for the first time. Over the years I have been privileged to see thousands do this exact thing.
I am very aware that my part in it all was simply the final link in a long chain of people – those who had prayed for, given towards and sacrificed in ways only heaven will reveal, so that the people of Kerala, India might know salvation through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Now, all these years later, a new opportunity is before us. One missionary can do only so much and go to only so many places by himself; but a tract can go to places a missionary would never get to on his own. A tract is like a trained armed soldier, standing on guard, always ready to be used in the hand of God.
One testimony I heard recently was from a gentleman who kept a tract in his wallet for 3 years, “almost” throwing it away many different times, only to keep it, thinking he might read it “one day” when he had time… Then finally, alone in a hotel room, while fumbling through his wallet, he came across the tract (now just a little battered by the elements of time) and he finally decided to read it. As he did so, he understood the gospel, was immediately convicted of his sin, and right there on the spot, the Holy Spirit brought the miracle of conversion as he trusted in Christ to save him.
You may remember we provided 10,000 copies of the Gospel tract I wrote “The Thief on the Cross” in the Malayalam language which were handed out to people in the state of Kerala at Easter time. The response and feedback to this very clear gospel presentation has been so encouraging that we made a tentative inquiry to find out how much it would cost for 100,000 tracts to be printed.
Whereas the cost for 10,000 tracts was approximately $400 USA Dollars, the cost for 100,000 tracts will be $2,600.00. This is the full cost, which includes paper, printing, shipping and distribution handling costs. As you can see, there is a substantial savings (per tract) when there is a larger quantity being printed.
Perhaps this Gospel outreach is something you or your church might like to get behind and support. If so, just write to me and I will give you further details.
Goal: $2,600.00
Amount received (as of 8/5/11): $330.00
Thank you D.B. and T.G. for your sacrificial gifts for this project. May many others be inspired to do the same.
This blog title is written with a big “tongue in cheek” as I am convinced that the Bible presents a consistent message and that when properly understood, there are no “Arminian verses” in God’s word. However, four verses are normally raised as proof texts for their view:
John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4 and Matthew 23:37.
For those who like videos, here are some that have been made to specifically address these verses in their context. The first three are by Pastor Jim McClarty of Grace Christian Assembly, Smyrna, Tennessee. The last one is by Dr. James White of www.aomin.org. Enjoy!
John 3:16
2 Peter 3:9
1 Timothy 2:4
In this last video, which is longer than the others (above), Dr. James White deals with Matthew 23:37, 1 Timothy 2:4 and 2 Peter 3:9.
(1)Ligonier has some SUPER deals today on some excellent material in this week’s $5 Friday sale starting at 8 am EST. Check it out here.
Remember, if you decide to purchase material, you can claim a further 10% discount on these and on ALL Ligonier products as a reader of this blog by using the coupon code: EGRACE10
(2) I love this quote: “In the very beginning, when this great universe lay in the mind of God, like unborn forests in the acorn cup; long ere the echoes awoke the solitudes; before the mountains were brought forth; and long ere the light flashed through the sky, God loved His chosen creatures. Before there was any created being—when the ether was not fanned by an angel’s wing, when space itself had not an existence, when there was nothing save God alone—even then, in that loneliness of Deity, and in that deep quiet and profundity, His bowels moved with love for His chosen. Their names were written on His heart, and then were they dear to His soul. Jesus loved His people before the foundation of the world—even from eternity! and when He called me by His grace, He said to me, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”
Then, in the fulness of time, He purchased me with His blood; He let His heart run out in one deep gaping wound for me long ere I loved Him. Yea, when He first came to me, did I not spurn Him? When He knocked at the door, and asked for entrance, did I not drive Him away, and do despite to His grace? Ah, I can remember that I full often did so until, at last, by the power of His effectual grace, He said, “I must, I will come in;” and then He turned my heart, and made me love Him. But even till now I should have resisted Him, had it not been for His grace. Well, then since He purchased me when I was dead in sins, does it not follow, as a consequence necessary and logical, that He must have loved me first? Did my Saviour die for me because I believed on Him? No; I was not then in existence; I had then no being. Could the Saviour, therefore, have died because I had faith, when I myself was not yet born? Could that have been possible? Could that have been the origin of the Saviour’s love towards me? Oh! no; my Saviour died for me long before I believed. “But,” says someone, “He foresaw that you would have faith; and, therefore, He loved you.” What did He foresee about my faith? Did He foresee that I should get that faith myself, and that I should believe on Him of myself? No; Christ could not foresee that, because no Christian man will ever say that faith came of itself without the gift and without the working of the Holy Spirit. I have met with a great many believers, and talked with them about this matter; but I never knew one who could put his hand on his heart, and say, “I believed in Jesus without the assistance of the Holy Spirit.”” – C. H. Spurgeon (Sermon – A Defense of Calvinism)
(3) India Outreach:
You may remember we provided 10,000 copies of the Gospel tract I wrote “The Thief on the Cross” in the Malayalam language which were handed out to people in the state of Kerala at Easter time. The response and feedback to this very clear gospel presentation has been so encouraging that we made a tentative inquiry to find out how much it would cost for 100,000 tracts to be printed.
Whereas the cost for 10,000 tracts was approximately $400 USA Dollars, the cost for 100,000 tracts will be $2,600.00. This is the full cost, which includes paper, printing, shipping and distribution handling costs. As you can see, there is a substantial savings (per tract) when there is a larger quantity being printed.
Perhaps this Gospel outreach is something you or your church might like to get behind and support. If so, just write to me and I will give you further details.
Goal: $2,600.00
Amount received (as of 8/5/11): $330.00
(4) From the archives here: This is what happens when a gentleman with a sincere question about election approaches Paul Washer (unannounced) and someone else has a video camera standing by ready to record. In spite of the sound quality issues (thankfully the entire conversation is readable in subtitles on the screen), I am sure the explanation given here can be helpful for many people:
(5) Ever Notice How God Always Fails In “Free-Will” Theology? by AllforHisgloryalone
#1 He desires all men (their meaning = every individual) to be saved, but does not accomplish this. Fail.
#2 If He is lifted up, He will draw all men (their meaning = every individual) , but yet all men do not come, another fail.
#3 He paid in full all the sins of all men and died to save them, (their meaning = every individual) yet some go to hell and still have to pay, another fail.
#4 John 6:39-40 John 10 27-29 God fails again, because their theology says true believers can become lost.
#5 Sovereign Lord and King of kings, another fail, for He must submit to and cannot violate or impose upon their free will.
I could go on, but no.
The God of the Bible does not fail, Ever! (Isaiah 46:8-11). He is mighty to save, sanctify, to keep, to persevere, & to glorify.
If He died for you, you will be saved.
If He gives you eternal life, its eternal.
If He draws you, you will come.
If He changes you, you are truly changed
If you are His and go astray, He will come get you and restore you.
If He is Sovereign King of kings, He will not bow the knee to man’s will.
(6) This is very funny and there are so many applications for this:
Dane Ortlund was correct when he said, “one need not agree with every implicit theological subtlety to appreciate this helpful brief overview of the Bible’s narrative framework.”
And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” Mark 7:5-8
Scotty Smith writes out a prayer – one that I am praying myself:
“Dear Jesus, we tremble at the thought of you speaking these words to us. What could be more sobering and painful than to hear you say, “You talk about me a lot—using multiple Scriptures and well crafted theological language. You’re quick to recognize and correct false teaching, and you’re quite zealous to apply what you know to others. But your heart is far from me.”
It would be one thing to garner such a rebuke for mimicking the worse Pharisees and the Galatian Judaizers (Gal. 2:11-21)—putting people under the yoke of performance-based spirituality, and failing to acknowledge your work as the sole and sufficient basis for our salvation. But it would be an altogether different thing to be chided for being a gospel snob and scribe. Have mercy on us, Jesus, have mercy on me.
Forgive us when our love for the truth of the gospel and the doctrines of grace is more obvious than our love for you… as impossible as that may seem.
Forgive us when we enjoy exposing legalistic, pragmatic and moralistic teaching more than we crave spending time with you in fellowship and prayer.
Forgive us when we invest great energy in defending the imputation of your righteousness but have very little concern for the impartation of your transforming life.
Forgive us when we are quick to tell people what obedience is not, but fail to demonstrate what the obedience of faith actually is.
Forgive us when we call ourselves “recovering Pharisees” or “recovering legalists,” but in reality, we’re not really recovering from anything.
Forgive us when talk more about “getting the gospel” than we’re actually “gotten” by the gospel.
Forgive us for being just as arrogant about grace theology as we were obnoxious about legalistic theology.
Forgive us when our multiplied uses of the word “gospel” in our conversations does not translate into multiplied evidences of the power of the gospel in our lives.
Forgive us when we don’t use our gospel freedom to serve one another in love, but rather use it to put our consciences to sleep.
Forgive us for creating gospel-fraternities and gospel-posses which taste to outsiders like ingrown tribes or “clubish” elitism.
Forgive us for having a PhD in the indicatives yet only a kindergarten certificate in the imperatives of the gospel.
Forgive us when our passion for the gospel does not translate into a passion for holiness and world evangelism, and caring for widows and orphans.
Lord Jesus, with convicted and humbled hearts, we ask you to change us, by your grace and for your glory. So very Amen, we pray, in your magnificent and merciful name.”
You may remember we provided 10,000 copies of the Gospel tract I wrote 
Whereas the cost for 10,000 tracts was approximately $400 USA Dollars, the cost for 100,000 tracts will be $2,600.00. This is the full cost, which includes paper, printing, shipping and distribution handling costs. As you can see, there is a substantial savings (per tract) when there is a larger quantity being printed.
(1) Ligonier has some SUPER deals today on some excellent material in this week’s $5 Friday sale starting at 8 am EST. 
And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And he said to them, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, “‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” Mark 7:5-8