The Lord’s Prayer is confusing. I have understood that once forgiven by Christ, you don’t need to be forgiven again. But in that prayer, we are to pray for forgiveness of our trespasses. And in the footnote to it, we are told that if we don’t forgive, we won’t be forgiven. How come? That the …
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There are those who claim that they are believers because they pray. But all sorts of people pray—to all sorts of gods. I want, therefore, to make it clear that prayer—alone—doesn’t cut it. “How do you know that?” The Book of Proverbs is explicit on the subject (28:9): Anyone who turns his ear away from …
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Paul did not labor that he might receive grace, but he received grace in order that he might labor. Augustine, De gestis Pelagii xiv, 36 No distinction could be more important to our salvation. Augustine knew what many over the years have not known—salvation is not of works; it produces good works. He speaks of …
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You guide me with Your counsel, And afterwards, you will take me up in glory. Psalm 72:10 What a way to live life! Here and hereafter to live with God’s counsel and His Person. Do you know Christ as your Savior? If not, whose counsel do you follow here; where will you go hereafter? …
The post Here and There appeared first on Institute for Nouthetic Studies | Biblical Counseling.
“When will what stop?” People complaining about things rather than solving problems. “Never. Not until the Lord comes.” I suppose you’re right. But it’s a serious matter, you know? “Is it? I just thought it was the way sinful human beings act.” Well, it is that, but why not remove the word “just” from the …
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God said through Hosea, My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge . . . Because you have rejected knowledge I will reject you from serving as my priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God I will also forget your sons. Hosea 4:6 (HCSB) How typical. Where is the true knowledge of …
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Jeremiah records God’s words saying, For My people have committed a double evil: They have abandoned Me, the Fountain of living water, And . . . Dug cisterns for themselves—cracked cisterns that cannot hold water. Jeremiah 2: 11 If only those who are thirsty because they can’t find any water in their dry cisterns would …
The post It Works Both Ways appeared first on Institute for Nouthetic Studies | Biblical Counseling.
Believer, what happens to your soul when you die? Want to look at a couple of facts? You go to be with Christ—which is far better (than anything else). You go to Paradise [the word for a “park”] which is in the third heaven. You will be tenting in heaven (i.e., there only temporarily; presumably, …
The post Deadly Facts appeared first on Institute for Nouthetic Studies | Biblical Counseling.
Some have had difficulty in equating the two. But let’s take a look at the situation. There are similarities and differences. Here are a few of each. Both preacher and counselor seek to bring a message from God to those who listen. Both use the very same Source from which to gather that message—the Bible. …
The post Biblical Counseling is Like Preaching appeared first on Institute for Nouthetic Studies | Biblical Counseling.
I have had the opportunity to hear much preaching over the last few years, some very good, some mediocre, most very bad. What is the problem with preaching? There is no one problem, of course; there are a number of problems to which I have been addressing myself in our Friday preaching blogs. But if …
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God’s Cartography
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A request for info on borderline personality disorder, so-called, just came in. Let’s consider two things: What is personality? Personality is that which a human being develops as he uses his basic genetic traits to live in various more-or-less changeable ways at various times; ways which are more or less visible by how he thinks, …
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