Dr Paul Allen

1 Corinthians 12:4–6 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Next, Paul emphasizes that a variety of gifts are needed. But this variety must have the underlying unity of the Trinity, as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit cooperate to bring a harmonious expression that edifies the assembly. The Holy Spirit wants to honor Jesus, not only by calling Him Lord but by distributing “different kinds” of spiritual gifts ( Gk. charismata, freely given, gracious gifts; cf. charis, “grace”). The one Holy Spirit is the source of them all. Similarly, the variety of kinds of service, or ministry, (Gk. diakoniōn) has its source in the one Lord Jesus , and the different kinds of working, or activities, (Gk. energēmatōn) come from the one God who works effectively in all of them and in everyone (see Eph. 3:20; Col. 1:29). The terms “gifts, ...

“In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.” Luke 6:12 If ever one of woman born might have lived without prayer, it was our spotless, perfect Lord, and yet none was ever so much in supplication as he! Such was his love to his Father, that he loved much to be in communion with him: such his love for his people, that he desired to be much in intercession for them. The fact of this eminent prayerfulness of Jesus is a lesson for us —he has given us an example that we may follow in his steps. The time he chose was admirable, it was the hour of silence, when the crowd would not disturb him; the time of inaction, when all but himself had ceased to labor; and the season when slumber made men forget their woes, and cease their applications to him for relief. While others found rest in sleep, he refreshed himself with prayer. The place was also well selected. He was alone where none would intrude, where none could observe: thus was he ...

The Temptation of Christ, 1854 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) " Christ , who is our life."  Colossians 3:4 Paul's marvellously rich expression indicates, that Christ is the source of our life. "You hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins." That same voice which brought Lazarus out of the tomb raised us to newness of life. He is now the substance of our spiritual life.  It is by his life that we live; he is in us, the hope of glory, the spring of our actions, the central thought which moves every other thought. Christ is the sustenance of our life. What can the Christian feed upon but Jesus' flesh and blood? "This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die." O wayworn pilgrims in this wilderness of sin, you never get a morsel to satisfy the hunger of your spirits, except ye find it in him! Christ is the solace of our life. All our true joys come from him; and in times of trouble, his prese...

English: Baptist communion elements (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) "I in them." John 17:23 If such be the union which subsists between our souls and the person of our Lord, how deep and broad is the channel of our communion ! This is no narrow pipe through which a thread-like stream may wind its way, it is a channel of amazing depth and breadth, along whose glorious length a ponderous volume of living water may roll its floods. Behold he hath set before us an open door, let us not be slow to enter. This city of communion hath many pearly gates , every several gate is of one pearl, and each gate is thrown open to the uttermost that we may enter, assured of welcome.  If there were but one small loophole through which to talk with Jesus, it would be a high privilege to thrust a word of fellowship through the narrow door; how much we are blessed in having so large an entrance! Had the Lord Jesus been far away from us, with many a stormy sea between, we should have longed to ...

Christ Pantocrator study (Photo credit: DUCKMARX ) “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” Psalm 100:4 Our Lord would have all his people rich in high and happy thoughts concerning his blessed person. Jesus is not content that his brethren should think meanly of him; it is his pleasure that his espoused ones should be delighted with his beauty. We are not to regard him as a bare necessary, like to bread and water, but as a luxurious delicacy, as a rare and ravishing delight. To this end he has revealed himself as the “ pearl of great price ” in its peerless beauty, as the “ bundle of myrrh ” in its refreshing fragrance, as the “ rose of Sharon ” in its lasting perfume, as the “lily” in its spotless purity. As a help to high thoughts of Christ , remember the estimation that Christ is held in beyond the skies, where things are measured by the right standard. Think how God esteems the Only Begotten , his unspeakable gift t...

For Sunday - The Noah's Ark Window in Tissington, Derbyshire (Photo credit: UGArdener ) “. . . And they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” Matthew 24:39 Universal was the doom, neither rich nor poor escaped: the learned and the illiterate, the admired and the abhorred, the religious and the profane, the old and the young, all sank in one common ruin. Some had doubtless ridiculed the patriarch—where now their merry jests? Others had threatened him for his zeal which they counted madness—where now their boastings and hard speeches? The critic who judged the old man’s work is drowned in the same sea which covers his sneering companions. Those who spoke patronizingly of the good man’s fidelity to his convictions, but shared not in them, have sunk to rise no more, and the workers who for pay helped to build the wondrous ark, are all lost also. The flood swept themall away, and made no single exception. Even so, out ...

Bible Study 2 (Photo credit: DrGBB ) “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” ( Matthew5:18 ) Here is the commentary of the Lord Jesus on the doctrine of plenary verbal inspiration . Not only were the words of the Bible divinely inspired, but even the very letters! The “jot” was the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet (yod, the tenth letter). The “tittle” was a small horn-like appendage which transformed one Hebrew letter into another. Thus, a stronger statement of absolute verbal inspiration than this could hardly be imagined. Further, the phrase “in no wise” is actually a double negative in Greek. In New Testament Greek it was used for strong emphasis. According to none other than the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, every word—even every letter—of the “law” must be fulfilled. This certainly includes the books of the Pentateuch —including even the often-maligned and distorted openin...

Andrea Mantegna's Agony in the Garden, circa 1460, depicts Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) What was the nature of Jesus ’ temptation in the Garden that made Him say, “Let this cup pass from Me–that’s My desire”? That was a perfectly holy desire. Any other desire would have been an unholy and godless desire. Why? Because a holy man can never have any wish or desire or purpose to experience a sense of divine desolation. It was not within our Lord Jesus ’ holy humanity to ever desire to be in a position where He would cry out, “My God , I am forsaken by You. Why?”1 John Maclaurin, in his sermon “ God’s Chief Mercy ,” looked at our Lord’s prayer from the perspective of His relationship to His elect for whom He came into the world to drink that cup of His Father’s wrath: When we read, therefore, the Redeemer’s expression in his agony,—If it was possible the cup should pass from him,—we are not to understand it as if there was any appearance of imposs...

Our Lord Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) In Mark 1:40–45 we see the third of four miracles that Mark groups together to show the power of the Son of God . These miracles demonstrated His power over the demon world, over the world of disease and weakness, over the defilement of leprosy and over paralysis. In these four we have a full demonstration of our condition as sinners . We are controlled by the god of this world, we are powerless to serve God, we are separated from God, and we cannot walk in communion with God because of sin. In these miracles we see the power, the compassion, the willingness, and the deity of Christ reaching out to those who have been rendered useless for God. By coming into contact with the Saviour all are healed and become useful to God. We were in our sins living at a great distance from God . Like the leper in the Old Testament we were banned from the presence of God, walking in an outside place, and were unclean in our very natures. I...

Courage! It is the Lord (Photo credit: Lawrence OP ) The parabolic ministry of the Lord Jesus was the fulfilment of the prophecy concerning the blinding of the nation of Israel , Isa. 6:9. This was done gradually and was not completed until AD 70 when the nation was finally destroyed by the Roman government. Significantly, the multitude had been sent away and the command of the Lord was ‘pass over unto the other side’. His attention is now turned to the disciples and He is training them. They will be the ones to carry on His work after He is gone and the disciples had much to learn. This lesson was that when He gives the command there is nothing that can stop it being fulfilled. There arose a mighty storm and the ship was about to sink. The ship was full as it had taken on a great deal of water. No amount of bailing was able to keep ahead of the storm. But the Lord Jesus was in the ship! Was this storm going to cause Him to drown? Was this storm going to cause His purpose to f...

Stained glass at St John the Baptist's Anglican Church  (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God , and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” ( Revelation 14:6-7 ) When the Lord Jesus returned to heaven after His resurrection, He left the disciples with the Great Commission to “preach the gospel to every creature” ( Mark 16:15 ). Unfortunately, over the centuries, there has developed much misunderstanding concerning the content of the gospel (“good tidings”) and many have preached “another gospel” ( Galatians 1:6 ) which can never save. This false gospel wears many faces, but inevitably, at its heart will be found the false hope of evolutionary humanism, glorifying ...