Dr Paul Allen

Have you ever wondered why there's a universal phenomenon of religion? You can go anywhere on the globe and you'll find evidence of cultic practices of sacrifice. Why is that?  I suggest that it is because the original program and prescription for the worship of the living God was sacrifice. Adam told it to Cain, Abel, and Seth. Seth told it to Enoch, and he told it to his sons and they to their sons and so on. It was taught to Abraham. It was taught to Isaac. It was taught to Jacob. It was taught to Joseph. It was taught to Moses. It was also taught to Ishmael and to Esau, and so the idea of the requirement of sacrifice in faith pervaded the whole human race. But today the need for sacrifices to be made in faith is forgotten—we hear that it doesn't matter what you believe as long as you're sincere. In fact, the basic requirement of sacrifice is unknown—it doesn't matter what your religious practices are. It doesn't matter what you worship. It only matte...

Author: Randy Alcorn. Jonathan Edwards said, “It becomes us to spend this life only as a journey toward heaven . . . to which we should subordinate all other concerns of life. Why should we labor for or set our hearts on anything else, but that which is our proper end and true happiness?” In his early twenties, Edwards composed a set of life resolutions. One read, “Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can.” Unfortunately, many believers find no joy when they think about heaven. A pastor once confessed to me: “Whenever I think about heaven, it makes me depressed. I’d rather just cease to exist when I die.” “Why?” I asked. “I can’t stand the thought of that endless tedium. To float around in the clouds with nothing to do but strum a harp . . . it’s all so terribly boring. Heaven doesn’t sound much better than hell.” Where did this Bible-believing , seminary-educated pastor get such a view of heaven? Certainly not from Scriptu...

English: Jesus Christ - detail from Deesis mosaic, Hagia Sophia, Istanbul (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house , an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ ." ( 1 Peter 2:5 ) Our text instructs us that we, as a corporate church and as individuals, are designed for the purpose of offering up acceptable sacrifices to God. These are not animal sacrifices as before, but "spiritual" sacrifices, made "acceptable to God by Jesus Christ." What kinds of spiritual sacrifices are acceptable? Prayer: An amazing scene is recorded for us in heaven, for an angel is seen at the altar offering up to God incense mingled with "the prayers of the saints" ( Revelation 8:4 , see also 5:8 ). Our prayers are precious to Him. Giving: The use of our financial resources for the furtherance of His kingdom becomes "an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, w...

Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia Image via Wikipedia "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh." ( Hebrews 11:4 )   Abel, Adam 's second son, was a faithful, God-honoring man, but he was murdered by his older brother Cain. From Genesis 4 we know that Cain's bloodless sacrifice was not accepted by God, while Abel's animal sacrifice was accepted. Cain's pride, anger, and rejection of God's offer of restoration resulted in the murder of obedient Abel. Our text tells us that Abel "being dead yet speaketh." What does he say? To whom does he speak?   First of all, he spoke to God. "The voice of thy brother's |Abel's| blood crieth unto me from the ground" ( Genesis 4:10 ). Many have followed Abel in martyrdom, and they all cry, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not...