Dr Paul Allen

The term amen was used in the corporate worship of ancient Israel in two distinct ways. It served first as a response to praise given to God and second as a response to prayer . Those same usages of the term are still in vogue among Christians.  The term itself is rooted in a Semitic word that means “truth,” and the utterance of “amen” is an acknowledgement that the word that has been heard, whether a word of praise, a word of prayer or a sermonic exhortation, is valid, that is, sure and binding.  Even in antiquity, the word amen was used in order to express a pledge to fulfil the terms of a vow. So, this little word is one that is centred on the idea of the truth of God. The truth of God is such a remarkable element of Christian faith that it cannot be overlooked. There are those who think that truth is negotiable or, even worse, divisive, and it, therefore, should not be a matter of passionate concern among believers.  But if we are not concerned about truth, then we ...

“Excuse me, can you repeat what you just said?” I was certain I heard him wrong. “ . . . ” “So you’re saying that if we are struggling consistently with sexual sin, we should wean ourselves off of it by sinning in moderation? If we do said sin six times a week, you’re telling us to limit it to five per week for a time, then to four, three, two, until zero?” The leader of a highly recommended program for male Christian purity reiterated the sentiment as everyone around me nodded at the sage’s words. After all, we just heard Jimmy’s video testimony about how he went from sinning several times a day to only sinning, well, several times a month. The strategy must work. The friend who brought me braced himself. “With all due respect, you can’t be serious.  Do you know what sin is? ” As he continued to talk, it was evident that he did not. To him, making provision for the flesh several times a week was, in the end,  beneficial  to our holiness. To him,...

“Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” ( Ephesians3:20 ) This amazing assurance of God ’s unlimited ability to answer our prayers is related to a unique “power [ Greek dunamis] that worketh in us.” Paul had used the same word twice before in this same epistle, speaking of “the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe” and “the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power” ( Ephesians 1:19 ; 3:7). “Effectual working” in the original is one word, energeia , from which we get our word “energy.” Such power working in us is actually nothing less than the presence of God Himself. Its very first occurrence is in the model prayer . “For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever” ( Matthew 6:13 ). It is this “power of God unto salvation” that is received when we first believe on Christ through the gospel ( Romans 1:16 ). It has been s...

The exhortation to “abide” has been frequently misunderstood, as though it were a special, mystical, and indefinable experience. But Jesus makes clear that it actually involves a number of concrete realities. First, union with our Lord depends on His grace . Of course we are actively and personally united to Christ by faith ( John 14:12 ). But faith itself is rooted in the activity of God. It is the Father who, as the divine Gardener, has grafted us into Christ. It is Christ, by His Word, who has cleansed us to fit us for union with Himself (15:3). All is sovereign, all is of grace. Second, union with Christ means being obedient to Him . Abiding involves our response to the teaching of Jesus: “If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you …” ( John 15:7a ). Paul echoes this idea in Colossians 3:16 , where he writes, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly,” a statement closely related to his parallel exhortation in Ephesians 5:18 : “be filled with the Spirit.” In a nutshell...

There is no greater message to be heard than that which we call the gospel. But as important as that is, it is often given to massive distortions or over simplifications. People think they’re preaching the gospel to you when they tell you, ‘you can have a purpose to your life’, or that ‘you can have meaning to your life’, or that ‘you can have a personal relationship with Jesus .’ All of those things are true, and they’re all important, but they don’t get to the heart of the gospel. The gospel is called the ‘ good news ’ because it addresses the most serious problem that you and I have as human beings , and that problem is simply this: God is holy and He is just, and I’m not. And at the end of my life, I’m going to stand before a just and holy God , and I’ll be judged.  And I’ll be judged either on the basis of my own righteousness –or lack of it–or the righteousness of another. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus lived a life of perfect righteousness, of perfect obed...

Thomas Goodwin shows that in all His glorious holiness in heaven , Christ is not sour towards His people—distant, unconcerned. No, if anything, Christ's glorified capacious heart beats more strongly with tender compassion towards His people. And if anything, in particular—two things says Goodwin—two things stir Christ's compassion. First, our afflictions stir His compassion. Second, almost unbelievably, our sin stirs His compassion. Having experienced on earth, the utmost load of pain, rejection, and sorrow, in all points tempted as we are, Christ in heaven empathizes with our suffering. There is a man who has suffered on the throne of heaven. He understands.  But more, he looks at Hebrews 5 verse 2 where we read that is part of the qualification of the high priest to have mercy on those who are out of the way—that is sinning . And says Goodwin, "you're very sins move Him to pity more than to anger, yay His pity is increased the more towards you even as the h...

“Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.” ( Psalm 89:15 )   Many have been the Christians who have joined in singing “We have heard the joyful sound: Jesus saves; Jesus saves!” Not all have known, however, that this beautiful phrase comes from a great psalm extolling God ’s marvelous works of creation and then His promises of redemption.   “The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. The north and the south thou hast created them” ( Psalm 89:11-12 ). Earlier verses note that “the heavens shall praise thy wonders, O LORD” (v. 5), speaking of the angels, “the sons of the mighty” (v. 6), literally, “the sons of God .” It is exciting to realize that the very first “joyful sound” was heard when God “laid the foundations of the earth.” Then it was that “the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy” ( Job 38:...

How do I pray for a miracle? ( Matt. 17:20) When we are faced with a great need, either for ourselves or for others, we should begin by humbly seeking to know God ’s will in the matter: "Father, what do You want to do in this situation?" Jesus said, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working" (John 5:17). He listened to the voice of the Father , and He watched Him. Be careful not to start or end a prayer by saying blindly, "If it be Your will." Rather, you should seek to know God’s will in the situation and then base your prayer upon it. Praying for a miracle is welcoming a gift of the Holy Spirit to manifest. When His will is to work one, He will witness that to your heart. Then you can ask Him to perform the miracle that you know He wants to bring about. It is often important to exercise a key to the miraculous—the spoken word. God has given us authority over disease, demons, sickness, storms, and finances (Matt. 10:1; Luk...

How should we understand the ending of the book of Job? Let's look at the sorrow and the power of God to bring restoration and change. What's this saying? Is it saying if you trust the Lord , that God'll give you a happy ending ? You're in a trial, you're in a difficulty, but just trust Him, and there'll be a happy ending. He'll restore your fortunes. Is that what we're supposed to draw from this? No, of course not.  No, some people's lives end in shadow, and in darkness —marriages that are irreconcilable, relationships with children that just seem to go from bad to worse, and they're never restored, despite all the longings and prayers and urgings. So we mustn't misuse this chapter . It is saying this though: God can change your life from what it is right now 180 degrees. He's able to do that. I'm not saying that's God's plan for you. I don't have the authority to say that. But I can say to you it is more than pos...

“ Heavenly Father , please let me know your will. I really need to know what you want me to do about . . .” This is my will for you : “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” ( 1 Thessalonians 5:18). “ Thank you, Lord , for this reminder. I really do need to be more thankful — but getting back to my request, I’m not sure what you want me to do about . . .” I want you to “give thanks in all circumstances.” “I know, Lord, I know. That’s important and I can see where I have neglected that. But thankfulness is sort of a constant need, isn’t it? I mean, everyone needs be more thankful, right? Seriously, this is urgent, and I don’t have clarity from you. I need your direction. What do you want me to do?” I am being serious and specific. I want you to “give thanks in all circumstances,” and right now, in this particular circumstance. [Speechless exasperation] Until you learn to “give thanks in all circumstances,” much of m...