The Prayer Of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79) Calls Us To Worship The Lord, Walk With Him And Witness For Him.

We are called to join with Zechariah in saying, Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel ... (68). As we worship the Lord, we are confident of this: He will “guide our feet into the path of peace” (79).Worshipping the Lord and walking with Him, we are led to follow the example of John the Baptist, "a prophet of the Most High". We are to "give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins" (76-77). May God help us to respond to His call. Let us worship God. Let us walk with Him. Let us witness for Him.
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This post is the fourth and final part of an article posted at my blog. The article is entitled, "Special Days: Remembrance Day – Micah 4:1-8; Psalm 9:9-20; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5; Luke 1:68-79"



The Apostle Calls Us To Pray To The Lord - In Our Worship, Walk And Witness.

Paul prayed for the Thessalonians and he asked them to pray for him. - He prayed that God would ‘comfort their hearts and establish them in every good work and word’(2 Thessalonians 2:16-17). - He prayed that they would enjoy peace: ‘Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in all ways’(2 Thessalonians 3:16). He asked them to pray for his ministry - ‘pray for us, that the Word of the Lord may speed on and triumph among you’(2 Thessalonians 3:1). Paul was writing to the Thessalonians, ‘You keep on praying for us and we’ll keep on praying for you’. We must not forget each other. We must remember each other - in prayer. Far too often, we forget. It becomes a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’. We’re not to live in the past. We are to keep on praying for those who belong to our past. Don’t forget to remember!
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This post is the third part an article posted at my blog. The article is entitled, "Special Days: Remembrance Day – Micah 4:1-8; Psalm 9:9-20; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5; Luke 1:68-79"

The Psalmist Calls Us To Worship The Lord, Walk With Him And Witness For Him.

Psalm 9 will help us to worship the Lord. It will help us to walk with Him. It will help us to be His witnesses. ‘I will give thanks to the Lord...’ (1-2). The enemy is defeated (3-6). ‘The Lord sits enthroned for ever’ (7). ‘The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble’ (9). What an encouraging Psalm this is! We have the victory in Christ. Nevertheless, it is not easy when we face determined opposition from the enemies of Christ and His Gospel: ‘Behold what I suffer from those that hate me’ (13). In this situation, we must call upon the Lord: ‘Arise, O Lord! Let not man prevail’ (19). Though the conflict is raging all around us, we must - taking our stand in Christ - declare God’s praises and rejoice in His salvation (14). ‘The Lord dwells in Zion’(11): ‘Blest inhabitants of Zion, Washed in the Redeemer’s blood’, may we always say, ‘Let the world deride or pity, I will glory in Thy Name’.
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This post is the second part of an article posted at my blog. The article is entitled, "Special Days: Remembrance Day – Micah 4:1-8; Psalm 9:9-20; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5; Luke 1:68-79"

The Prophet Calls Us To Worship The Lord, Walk With Him And Witness For Him.

Micah speaks to those ‘who hate good and love evil’ (Micah 3:2). He calls upon them to change their way of living. He calls upon them to worship the Lord - ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord’ (Micah 4:2).He calls upon them to walk with the Lord - ‘We will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever’ (Micah 4:5). How do we learn to ‘walk in His paths’? - We come to His ‘House’.We worship the Lord in His House.We listen to His ‘Word’.We pray that His Word will come to us ‘with power’.We ask Him to ‘teach us His ways’.We pray that we will be ‘filled with the Spirit of the Lord’ (Micah 3:8). Gathered in His House for worship, we ‘receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on us’. Through His power, we are equipped for witness: ‘you will be My witnesses...’ (Acts 1:8).
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This post is the first part of an article posted at my blog. The article is entitled, "Special Days: Remembrance Day – Micah 4:1-8; Psalm 9:9-20; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-3:5; Luke 1:68-79"

For Dad's Christmas Stocking

If your dad is like mine he loves a great book to read. This book is filled with great sayings. Well many people call them quotes. The book is filled with fun, humorous, encouraging sayings that can be applied to everyday life. Dad's will love it. You can order it online at just about any online bookstore, at your local bookstore or drop me a comment and I will direct you to some great deals.

The Key Is

Finding and living that life in Christ.

"Jurassic Park" - a modern 'Tower of Babel'


Genesis 11
* "
Scientists can become so fascinated by what they could do that they do not even stop to think about whether they should." (Dr Ian Malcolm). * "God creates dinosaurs. God destroys dinosaurs. God creates man. Man destroys God. Man creates dinosaurs" (Dr Ian Malcolm).
* "I was overwhelmed by the power of this place, but I did not have enough respect for that power" (Dr Ellie Sattler). Monsters are created and morality is forgotten (see Robin Cook's book, Mutation). "Can we do this?" is not the only question that needs to be asked. "Should we do this?" must also be asked. When is morality forgotten? - We forget morality when we forget God. We forget morality when we forget to ask. "What does God want us to do?" What happens when God is forgotten, when we forget about what God wants us to do? "Come, let us build ourselves a city (a 'Jurassic Park') and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves" (4). Man is exalted. God is dismissed (see Robin Cook's book, The God-Player). That's what happens when people forget that they have been created by God, when they become preoccupied with creating a reputation for themselves. What does God think of all this ? - Read verses 5-8. "This is only the beginning of what they will do; and nothing will now be impossible for them" (6). When man starts to 'play God', things go horribly wrong. 'Jurassic Park' is a timely reminder to us that power must not be abused. We need to distinguish between the use and the abuse of power (see Irving Wallace's book, The Pigeon Project). We are not to abuse the power given to us by God. We are to use it responsibly. More than that - we are to be used by the power of God, used to establish His Kingdom.

The Tower of Babel

Genesis 10-11
Following on from the reference to Babylon in 10:10, we have, in chapter 11, the story of "the Tower of Babel". "This is only the beginning of what they will do; and nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible to them" (11:6). What can we say about the world today, as men 'play God', taking the issues of life and death into their own hands? We need to remember that God is the Creator and we are His creatures. We dare not assume an authority which does not belong to us. God is left out by man who sees himself as the be-all and end-all, man who does things his way, man who seeks his own glory rather than God's glory. We must ask, "Does this glorify God or man? Does this show the love of God or the 'couldn't care less' attitude of godless man?" We must ask concerning ourselves: "Am I getting caught up in a secular, materialistic, godless way of thinking? Am I seeking to bring Christian values to bear on social concerns?"
What does God think about our godless society? It's all there in the 'Tower of Babel' story. It's still true today. * Nothing is hidden from God. He sees all that's going on. We cannot leave God out, no matter how much we might like to. * God sees man, and He is not pleased. Sin brings judgment. * God allows man to do his own thing, but this leads to confusion. Nobody knows what to think. Everyone does what they feel like doing. There is a desperate need for authoritative teaching from God's Word. * The saving purpose of God is not withdrawn. Look on to 12:1-3. Look further on to Jesus Christ, the fulfilment of this prophecy.

God Loves Us, Even Though We Don't Deserve To Be Loved By Him.

Genesis 9

This is not only a story about Noah. It's a story about God. Noah was a man of faith. We can learn much from his faith. There is, however, something more than Noah's faith. We concentrate our attention on God's love. God loves us, even though we don't deserve to be loved by Him. We have failed Him many times. He has never failed us. He never stops loving us. He loves us, even when we don't love Him. Whatever you've done, God loves you. There is no sin too great for God's love. God's love is for everyone. Whoever you are - even if you don't feel very important, God loves you. There is no-one who has wandered too far away. God continues to love those who are far from Him. He waits for us to return to Him. God's love is forever. It is an everlasting love. God has made us to live with Him in heaven forever. By sinning against God, we have closed the door of heaven. God, in His love, has opened the door for us. Jesus is the Door to heaven. Human love can come to an end. God's love never comes to an end.

We Are "In Christ". He Is The Source Of Our Salvation.

At the end of the flood, God said to Noah, "Come out of the ship" (v. 15). We are "in Christ". He is the Source of our salvation. God has brought us into Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30). He does not bring us into Christ for our own benefit only. He sends us out into the world to bring others to Christ. Noah and the remnant of faith had been preserved so that they might be fruitful (v. 17). This is still God's way. In love, He lays claim to our lives so that we can be fruitful for Him (John 15:16). This fruit comes as we abide in Christ (John 15:4-5). Even when we are sent out into the world, we are not sent out alone. We are sent out as those who are in Christ. From a position of strength, we go forth, resting on our Shield and our Defender, to bring strength to others. Strengthened in "the ship", we step out with Christ and for Him. Following the flood, we have this simple yet striking declaration: 'the ground was dry' (13). Safe from judgment! This is the message which comes to us from the Cross: 'Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world' (John 1:29). The judgment has fallen upon Christ. We are no longer swept away in the judgment. We can stand on solid ground: 'On Christ the solid Rock I stand'. He is our Support in 'the whelming flood' (Church Hymnary, 411). God said to Noah, 'Come out of the ship' (15). We are in Christ. He is the Source of our salvation. God has brought us into Christ (1 Corinthians 1:30). He does not bring us into Christ solely for our own benefit. We are sent out to be fruitful (17; John 15:16). We are not sent out alone. Strengthened in 'the ship' (in Christ), we step out with Christ and for Him.

Come To Christ And Find Salvation In Him Alone.

Genesis 7
What was going on outside of the ark is contrasted with the haven of salvation inside the ark. We read that, once all were in the ark, "the Lord closed the door behind them" (v. 16). What was it that made the ark a place of salvation? - The Lord. What is it that makes Jesus Christ the Source of our salvation? - "God has given Him the Name that is above every name, the Name of our salvation" (Philippians 2:9-11; Acts 4:12). This is the spiritual significance of what we read in Genesis concerning the flood: "Salvation is of the Lord"(Jonah 2;9). Christ is the Door. Those who enter through Him will be saved (John 10:9). We must listen to what God says concerning salvation. If we listen to what the world says, we will conclude that all will be saved. If we listen to the Lord, we will come to Christ and find salvation in Him alone. From the ark, we learn of (a) the one way of salvation - The ark had only one door. Jesus is 'the Door' which leads to salvation (John 10:9). (b) the eternal security of salvation - All were safe inside the ark. In Christ, there is eternal security (John 10:28). (c) the absolute necessity of salvation - Outside of the ark, there was certain death. Refusal to come to Christ for salvation leads to judgment: 'How shall we escape ... ?' (Hebrews 2:3).

The Gospel Of God's Amazing Grace

Genesis 6
As we read the story of Noah, we learn of the place of Noah within the divine revelation of the Gospel of grace. "Noah found grace" might be turned around to read "Grace found Noah." "Amazing grace ... I once was lost but now am found." The significance of Noah, highlighted in 5:29 - "this one (Noah) shall bring relief from our work and from the toil of our hands" - is expressed in the words, "Not the labour of my hands can fulfil Thy law's demands. All for sin could not atone. Thou must save, and Thou alone. Nothing in my hand I bring. Simply to Thy Cross I cling." To see the flood exclusively in terms of judgment is to see only one side of what God was doing. As well as judging He was also saving: "In this ship a few people - eight in all - were saved by water" (1 Peter 3:20). The ark points forward to Christ "who came back from death to life", Christ who "saves" us (1 Peter 3:21). God was working out His purpose of salvation. In these two statements, 'Noah found grace' and 'this one will bring ... ', we see both salvation and service. we are saved to serve. Once we ourselves have been found by grace, we are to seek to bring others to Christ that they also may be saved by Him and become His servants. In Noah's day, the remnant of faith was very small, yet the promise of God's love was given to them - 'I will establish my covenant with you' (18). Even when wickedness threatens to overwhelm us, we still have God's promise of love, 'the new covenant in Christ's blood' (1 Corinthians 11:25). 'The blood of Jesus, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin' (1 John 1:7). Knowing that Christ loved us and died for us, we are able to be like Noah (22). We are to walk with the Lord and serve Him.

Trusting In Christ As Saviour, Let Us Walk With God.

Genesis 5
The most significant comment in this chapter is in verses 22-23: "Enoch walked with God". We should not, however bypass the reference to Noah who also "walked with God" (6:9). In verse 29, we read of Noah ("Relief"): "This child will bring us relief from the work and painful labour of our hands since the Lord has cursed the ground." This seems to be a rather mundane statement. When we carry the word, "relief" into our study of chapters 6-9, we see the deeper spiritual significance of Noah within the purpose of God. By building the ark, Noah brought relief from the storm of God's judgment. What an awesome judgment of God the flood was. In the midst of this judgment, there was relief (salvation).
The ark is a picture of Christ. Those who are in Him are saved. Those who are outside of Him are lost. Christ is the "child" of our salvation. He takes salvation out of "the painful labour of our hands. He takes it into His hands. Looking to Christ and what He has done for us, we can say, with confidence, that we are "safe in the arms of Jesus."

God Is Still At Work, Calling Sinners To Worship Him.

Genesis 4
This chapter tells the story of the progression of mankind, the increase of sin and - in its final sentence - the development of worship. There are interesting snippets of cultural information (vs. 20-22). There may be progress in the horizontal dimension - agriculture, music, industry, but history reveals again and again that all is not well in our relationship with God. Sin was on the increase (vs. 1-16). Things were getting out of control. Could they be turned around again? A strongly positive answer is not spelled out in detail in this chapter. There is, however, a hint of God at the end of the chapter. He is still at work, calling sinners to worship Him. People are beginning to respond. This is the note on which the chapter ends. "At that time, people began to worship the Lord" (v. 26). This is the ray of hope. This is the word of inspiration at the end of a chapter which is, at best informative - the progression of culture, and, at worst, depressing - the increase of sin.

Christ Is Crucified. Satan Is Defeated.

Genesis 3

From the majestic perfection of God and the privileged responsibility of humanity, we now move to the evil subtlety of Satan. An intruder has sneaked into the privileged place between God, the Creator, and mankind, His creation.

Chapter 2 ends with the absence of shame. Chapter 3 begins with the presence of Satan. The work of Satan, successfully executed, ensures that this chapter ends rather differently from chapter 2 - "the Lord God sent the man out of the Garden of Eden" (v. 23).

This was "Paradise Lost". Was there a way to "Paradise Regained"? There are two answers to this question: "No" and "Yes". Taking ourselves as the starting-point, the answer is "No". God will not permit us to take salvation into our own hands (v. 24). Starting with God, the answer is "Yes". This is the answer of verse 15: Christ (the woman's descendant will be crucified (the bruising of His heel), but the outcome of this will be the defeat of Satan (the crushing of his head).

Created In The Image Of God

Genesis 2
Here, we see the privilege and responsibility of being human. As well as the privilege - created in the image of God (1:26-27) - there is also the responsibility in relation to (a) the creation - 'farm the land and ... take care of it' (v. 15); (b) the Creator - 'you must never eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil' (v. 17).
Human life is lived within two horizons - (i) the temporal or earthly horizon: we have relationships with one another - 'It is not good for the man to be alone' (v. 18); (ii) the eternal or heavenly horizon: we are related to God. Human relationships do not satisfy us fully. There is a longing for God our Creator - 'He has put a sense of eternity in people's minds' (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
He has given good things to be enjoyed (1 Timothy 4:4). He has also created us to be 'inwardly renewed' by feeding on the 'things that last forever' (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

The Lord Our God, The Maker Of Heaven And Earth

Genesis 1:1-3
There is here a real sense of the majesty of God. He is 'beyond description'. We cannot comprehend Him. We can hardly put into words this sense of God's greatness. We are transported into an eternal dimension, which is so different from our earthly existence. We read, 'In the beginning, God ... ' (v. 1). Many live as if humanity was the only reality. Here, it is we who are absent from view. Here, we see God only. Humanity only comes into view when God chooses (vs. 26-27). Everything about this is God-centred rather than man-centred. The light comes when God says, 'Let there be light' (v. 3). Prior to God's Word of command in verse 3, we see the Spirit of God 'hovering' (v. 2). The Spirit is on the alert, ready to move into action, ready for the Word of God to be spoken, ready to empower the Word so that it becomes mightily effective. All that follows - described as 'very good' - comes from God, from His Word and His Spirit. Only good can come from God. The reality of evil has not yet come into view. When it does, everything changes except one thing - the love of God for His creation.

The Inexhaustible Treasure Chest Of God's Precious Word

Sharing my Bible Reading Notes, on this blog, is a God-given privilege.
It is my prayer that these notes will help others to dig more deeply into the inexhaustible treasure chest of God's precious Word and its wonderful message of salvation.
In all of our study of Scripture, may we learn to say, with Jesus, "I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have ... revealed these things ... " (Matthew 11:25).
Let us always rejoice in this: "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words" (1 Corinthians 2:12-13).

Preaching, Prayer And The Power Of The Holy Spirit

'Pray ... for me, that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel' (Eph. 6:18-19). There is no true boldness in preaching without the prayers of faithful man and women who call upon God on behalf of the preacher. With the supporting prayers of God’s people, the preacher goes into the pulpit. Through the continuing witness of God’s people, the preached word goes beyond the pulpit into the world. The preacher is one among many within the fellowship of the Lord’s people. His minstry is significant, but so also is the ministry exercised by others. As we consider the relationship between the pastor and the people we must never forget that the spark which gets the fire going is the power of the Holy Spirit. If there is to be a fire lit in our day, it will not be the work of man but the mighty working of the Spirit. In all the works of ministry - the ministry of the preacher and the ministry of the people - there is something we must never forget: 'We are servants of the word and not its masters ... Not only are we servants of the word ... we are unprofitable servants.'
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This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.

May Our Preaching Be The Spark Which Sets The Church On Fire For Christ.

The method of preaching will vary from sermon to sermon, from one series of sermons to another. The manner in which we preach remains constant. It is to be preaching grounded in the Scriptures, centred on Christ and empowered by the Spirit. Such preaching has relevance, not only for the Church but also for the world. The gospel cannot be kept within the ‘four walls’ of the Church. Paul described the gospel in this way - ‘The gospel for which I am suffering and wearing chains like a criminal’. He then went on to say, ‘But the word of God is not fettered’ (2 Tim. 2:9). Sometimes, the preacher will feel like Paul - imprisoned within his circumstances. He may feel imprisoned within a clerical strait-jacket. He may feel imprisoned within the limitations of being only one man, able to do so much and no more. Like Paul, however, the preacher can lift up his eyes to the Word of God which is able to break free from such imprisoning limitations. When the Word of God is preached, it is not simply a proclamation by one man within the ‘four walls’ of the Church. It is a proclamation which reaches out into the world. It is carried by the hearers into their life-situations. This fact encourages the preacher to believe that his message preached may be just the spark which gets a fire going. His preaching may be just the spark which sets the Church on fire with a real desire to pass on the good news of Christ’s love to the needy world. The possibility of being the spark which lights a fire gives the preacher greater boldness. It assures him that his preaching is not as insignificant and ineffective as he may sometimes feel. There is, however, a humbling factor here. The preacher receives boldness in answer to the prayers of God’s people. 'Pray ... for me, that utterance may be given me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel' (Eph. 6:18-19).
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This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.

Preaching A Message Which Is Relevant To The Life Of Our Hearers

If evangelical preaching is to make a significant impact on today’s world, it dare not rest content with giving theological lectures. ...The preacher dare not place himself far above the people, preaching a message which goes over the heads of the people. The preacher, no less than his hearers, must sit under the Word of God. If he is to preach a message which is relevant to the life of his hearers he must first find in Scripture a Word that is relevant to his own life. This involves much more than being an academic theologian who seeks intellectual stimulation from his study of the Bible. The preacher is not to remain a stranger to the people. He dare not speak as a theologian, proud of his education yet detached from his hearers’ life-situation. The preacher is to be a friend to his hearers. He lives among them. He meets them in the streets and at the shops. He visits them in hospital and at home. He teaches their children at school. He hears about and shares the joys and concerns of the community in which he lives. Within this very human context the pulpit must not become an ivory tower of irrelevance. Though not merely human - he is an ‘ambassador for Christ’, bringing to his hearers ‘the message of reconciliation’ (2 Cor. 5:19-20) - the preacher must not ignore the very human context in which the word of God is to be preached. In preaching from the Scriptures he proclaims a word which transforms the present and not merely a word that belongs to the past. The preacher who is sensitive to the pastoral relationships which exists between himself and the people will not preach messages which could be preached anywhere and at anytime. He takes account of the particular situation into which he is called to preach God’s word. He seeks to hear and to speak the word which God wants to speak to this people at this time.
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This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.

New Life In The Son - A Time For Salvation (Ecclesiastes 3:1-14)

Here's a link to a sermon I preached recently.

I hope that God will bless you through the preaching of His Word.

In A Real Sermon, Christ Is The Preacher.

In Christ, we face the claim of love upon our lives. This living presence of Christ inviting us to receive salvation and calling us to embark on the pathway of discipleship is the depth-dimension of preaching. On the face of it, preaching involves a preacher giving an address to a congregation. There is, however, something much deeper than that going on when the Word of God is preached. ... 'In a real sermon ... Christ is the preacher. ... The biblical view of preaching is to confront men with the question, ‘What think ye of Christ?’ And out of this question, to have the encounter shift into the dimension of a personal confrontation by Christ, who himself asks, ‘Who do you say that I am?’ ... Preaching must always be for decision. Our aim is not merely to inform the mind, to stimulate the feelings so that men have a rather pleasant emotional experience: it is rather to strike directly at the will with the demand for decision ... until we have confronted men with the issue so that they either have to surrender or rebel further, to accept it or reject, believe or disbelieve.' This decision concerning Jesus Christ is also a decision concerning the meaning, purpose and direction of our own lives - ‘Deciding about him is at the same time deciding about ourselves.’As we hear the story of Jesus Christ, the word of God tells us the story of our own lives - what we are and what we can become. The call for decision is a call to leave behind what we are in our sin, and move on to what we can become in Christ.
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This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.

If We Seek Relevance At The Expense Of Faithfulness, We Will End Up Being Irrelevant!

If we are to be faithful preachers of God’s word, we must preach what people need to hear, and not simply what they want to hear. This is not only the way of faithfulness, it is also the way of relevance. Those who seek relevance at the expense of faithfulness turn out to be irrelevant. Their shallow and superficial preaching turns out to be no real substitute for ‘the living and abiding word of God’ through which alone the hearers can be ‘born anew’ (1 Pet. 1:23). Before we can truly appreciate the grace of God in the Gospel, we must understand that ‘there is no human solution to the human problem.’ This can be a painful experience. We do our hearers no favours if we pay little attention to the uncomfortable truths of God’s Word. ... In the presence of Jesus Christ we learn that we are sinners, but we learn also that Christ loves sinners. Unlike the Pharisees who despised ‘sinners’ Jesus Christ ‘receives sinners’ (Lk. 15:2). In the presence of Christ we encounter both perfect holiness and perfect love. In Christ, we discover ‘an unmerited abundance of love.’ This love leads us to a special kind of obedience - the obedience of love. ‘We love because he first loved us’ (1 Jn. 4:19).
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This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.

'The Spirit ... Opens Up The Scripture To Us And ‘Opens’ Us To The Scripture.'

In our preaching of God’s word today we must earnestly pray for this dual ministry of the Spirit: 'The Spirit ... opens up the Scripture to us and ‘opens’ us to the Scripture.' Being opened up by the Spirit to the Scripture can be an uncomfortable experience. Where the Word of God is preached in the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the situation described in the letter to the Hebrews: 'The Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword ... discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And before him no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do' (4:12-13). Scripture does not speak of salvation only. It also speaks about sin. Scripture does not speak only of the love of God. It also speaks of the holiness of God. When Jesus spoke of the ministry of the Holy Spirit he said this: 'When he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment' (Jn. 16:8). There are uncomfortable truths concerning which the Lord Jesus says, ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’ (Rev. 2:7, 11, 17, 29; 3:6, 13, 22).
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This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.

True Ministry Is Ministry Empowered By The Spirit.

Faithful, relevant, authoritative preaching is preaching which focuses upon Christ, preaching which is empowered by the Spirit, preaching which calls for faith that takes deep root in the heart. With this understanding of preaching, we will take care to hold doctrine and experience together. ... Rightly understood, the words of Scripture are not mere words. They are words which speak with power. Jesus makes this point within the context of his own ministry. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life (Jn. 6:63). Paul, like Jesus, could not conceive of ministry as a thing of words only. True ministry is ministry empowered by the Spirit: My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power' (1 Cor. 2:4); 'Our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction' (1 Thess. 1:5).
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This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.

Interpreting The Authoritative Word Of God.

However strongly we affirm the authority of Scripture, we dare not elevate our own theological understanding to the level of Scripture itself. When we recognize clearly the distinction between authority and interpretation, we will not be afraid of interacting with theological perspectives different from our own. We need openness without a loss of the divine Word. We need not make the ideal of ‘open-mindedness’ so prominent in our thinking that we end up emptyminded, with no clear conviction concerning the divine Word. ... Our interpretation of the vital relationship between authority and interpretation is directly connected to our understanding of the dual character of Scripture as both the Word of God and the words of men. Scripture speaks to us with authority because it speaks to us as the Word of God. The study of Scripture involves us in the complex business of interpretation, since it speaks to us as the words of men, words written at various times and places by many writers.
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This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.


Let Us Preach God's Word As The Living Word.

In the pulpit, faithfulness and relevance are to be held together. In the study authority and interpretation are to be held together. If, in the study, Scripture is not honoured as the authoritative word of God, there will not be faithful preaching from the pulpit. A commitment to faithfulness carries with it a concern for relevance, since God ‘is not God of the dead, but of the living’ (Matt. 22:32). He is the living God and his Word is to be proclaimed as the living Word. If we are to speak a word of relevance, we need to interpret God’s Word for this generation. It is not sufficient to affirm the authority of the Bible, if we do not give serious consideration to understanding what God is saying to the world of today.
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This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.


It Is The Holy Spirit Who Binds Faithfulness And Relevance Together.

God’s Word is seen to be ‘the living and abiding word of God’ as God’s people believe it to be and proclaim it as ‘the living and abiding word of God’. The faithfulness which is ever relevant involves a real commitment to walking in the Spirit as ‘ministers of a new covenant, not in a written code but in the Spirit; for the written code kills but the Spirit gives life’ (2. Cor. 3:6).... It is the Holy Spirit who binds faithfulness and relevance together. He ‘makes it clear that this ancient word never becomes antiquated but is permanently relevant.’ This relevance is always a matter of something more than mere words. Our lives as well as our words must be faithful to the Word of the Lord. Faithfulness and relevance do not belong only to the study and the pulpit. There is a life to be lived in the world as well as a sermon to be preached in the church. Our lives are to be a ‘letter from Christ’, ‘known and read by all men’ (2 Cor. 3:2).
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This post is an excerpt from my article on The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.

‘Preach The Unsearchable Riches Of Christ.’

Today’s preachers are, like Paul, called to ‘preach the unsearchable riches of Christ’. Our situation is not however precisely the same as Paul’s. We are to preach the Word of God ‘as addressed to modem man’. This application of the gospel to the situation of modem man requires to be handled in a careful and sensitive manner. We dare not remain locked in the past if we are to speak a word which has genuine relevance for the present day. On the other hand, the threat of modernism’ is real. We can be so easily ‘squeezed into the mould of the world’s way of thinking’, rather than allowing our minds to be renewed by ‘the living and abiding word of God (cf. Rom. 12:1-2 J. B. Phillips; 1 Pet. 1:23). Where modern thinking is accorded an undue importance, the gospel can be seriously distorted....‘In seeking for relevance we must not renounce faithfulness.’ We must not set relevance and faithfulness over against each other, as though we are forced to choose between them - be faithful at the expense of relevance; be relevant at the expense of faithfulness. Relevance and faithfulness belong together. Relevance is not to be divorced from faithfulness but grounded in faithfulness.
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This is an excerpt from a post entitled The Use of the Bible in Evangelical Preaching Today.

Our Preaching Should Be Grounded In Scripture, Centred On Christ And Empowered By The Spirit.

Our preaching should be grounded in Scripture, centred on Christ and empowered by the Spirit. The Scriptures, the Saviour and the Spirit - here we have a ‘threefold cord’ that cannot be broken. By stressing the importance of the Bible for contemporary preaching we are not simply being ‘traditional’. We ground our preaching in Scripture because we find Christ in the Scriptures (Lk. 24:27; Jn. 5:40; 2 Tim. 3:15). We do not base our preaching on Scripture simply because we wish to be ‘Biblicists’. We preach from Scripture because the Spirit points us to the Son through the Scriptures (Lk. 24:2; Rom. 10:17). This ‘threefold cord’, the Scriptures, the Saviour and the Spirit, must be preserved if contemporary preaching is to be truly evangelical.
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This is an excerpt from a post you can find here.