I’m off to get in touch with my inner Pig.
Category: Blogroll
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1 – “that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.” (Luke 1:4, ESV) RAF: We are not called to a “blind faith” as is assumed by some. We believe in a God who is as obvious as the physical universe He created to reveal Himself. And one who inserted Himself into the affairs of men. One who walked among us, and whose history is as documentable as our own, since it is bound up with our own. It is THIS Jesus we are asked to believe in. That we might have certainty.
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1 – “ And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.” (Mark 10:13-16, ESV) RAF: Children have their part in the Kingdom as well. They are not to be treated as though they have no spiritual life or cannot enter in. We are to bring them up in the things of the Lord. To teach them to see the world through Biblical eyes. To know god made them, in His image, for Himself. That He is their creator and God. That there are spiritual realities. That they were born in sin alienated from the life of God and that they need reconciled to Him. Hoe good He is. How He has provided for them and cared for them. We do not wait until they are older, we begin right away to steep them in the truth of Christ.
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1 – “ The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’ ”” (Mark 1:1-3, ESV) RAF: The Gospel must begin with an announcement. All must prepare themselves, because the Lord is to visit us. How then shall we be ready? How then, shall we live. We ever preach, and ever live in the light of His second coming now, even as they did in the light of His incarnation.
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1 – “ And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction.” (Matthew 10:1, ESV) RAF: It is important to see that what they were given was authority, not innate power. We often seek for ability that is bestowed upon us to use as we see fit. Instead, He gives permission to act on His behalf – in His name. How careful then we must be. For what is done under such circumstances must be done so as to say we are acting as He would under the same circumstances. To act as His agents accomplishing His will, and not as free agents to accomplish ours.
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1 – ” Thus says the Lord: “For three transgressions of Israel, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment, because they sell the righteous for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals—” (Amos 2:6, ESV) RAF: Israel is judged for: a. Perverting justice in favor of the rich; b. Ignoring the poor; c. Rampant sexual immorality; d. Idolatry; e. Profaning true worship.
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1 – “ When the Lord first spoke through Hosea, the Lord said to Hosea, “Go, take to yourself a wife of whoredom and have children of whoredom, for the land commits great whoredom by forsaking the Lord.” So he went and took Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son.” (Hosea 1:2-3, ESV) RAF: While it may be the case, it is not necessary to imagine God told Hosea to act so that he intentionally married someone who was already a prostitute. There is Scripture forbidding this, and he would have been violating the Law. It is more likely he was directed providentially to marry a woman who would become a prostitute, or perhaps one born to a prostitute. Either way, the deepest of betrayals is what is in store.
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1 – Survey of the entire book as seen through the lens of a Child of God thrust into adverse life circumstances – especially in a hostile environment. 1 – 1:1-14 / Resolve, not defiance.
2 – 1:1-14 / Proposal, not demand.
3 – 1:1-44 / Reasonableness, not resentment.
4 – 1:17-20 / Application, not apathy
Daniel and his friends did their homework
5 – 2:14 / Prudence & discretion, not knee-jerk reaction.
In the midst of madness and chaos!
6 – 2:17-18 / Prayer in the practical.
7 – 2:24 / Intervention, not just escape.
He thought about the others, not just himself.
8 – 2:30 / Humility, not opportunism.
He openly acknowledges his Lord in his success and does not keep silent so as to simply make himself look good.
9 – 2:48 / Willingness, not elitism.
10 – 3:17 / Courage, not compromise.
Daniel’s companions – There is a deafening silence on Daniel’s part.
11 – 3 / Daniel’s restraint versus intervention
12 – 6:10 / Private consistency, not public display.
No need to push buttons.
13 – 6:22 / Profit, not treading water.
Acting in the best interest of those over us. Jer. 29: 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to God on its behalf…
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1 – Note the similarity of chapters 36 & 37 to Jeremiah 31. The promise of God’s great work in restoring, sending the Spirit especially, and giving them new hearts so that their obedience is note an obedience of rote, but of a new heart – desiring new things. These are great and exceedingly precious promises. These are the substance of the New Covenant – the unbreakable one that surpasses the one made with Moses. The one Christ inaugurated. The one we enter into in Christ. For He IS the covenant, the absolute fulfillment of all of God’s promises to those who believe.
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What is recorded below, is a synopsis of a two part talk recently given at a small think-tank. I was asked to attend and bring something to the group of how my understanding of the doctrine of the atonement had changed. Why I no longer hold to the more typical conceptions and formulations surrounding the idea of “Limited Atonement” – and yet do not surrender one iota of ground on the realities of God’s sovereignty in salvation, nor His own sovereign election of men unto to salvation, nor His power and action in predestination.If you would prefer to hear the audio of these two presentations, you can click HERE: REID’S AUDIO and once there, click on the two sessions bearing my name. They were a bit stream-of-consciousness, but also cover some other areas which might be helpful and/or of interest.
For a tremendous amount of research into this topic regarding Calvin’s own statements on the atonement, as well as many other of the Reformers and Puritans – CLICK HERE FOR CALVIN & CALVINISM
ResponsiveReiding 