Dr Paul Allen

So let’s recap. First, we introduced the topic and gave a broad look at the categories of women in churches that have concerns about modesty (or a total lack thereof).  In then, we looked at the biblical terminology from 1 Cor   12:23  and 1 Tim. 2:9.  I only did that because the verses with the term “modesty” in them are  generally  the passages that people talk about when the topic comes up. Then, I brought up the  myth  that gold, braided hair was the mark of a prostitute in ancient Roman culture . Finally, we looked at the  actual  mark of a prostitute in ancient Roman culture; wearing the male Toga (often made out of thin, revealing Coan silk).  Then we looked at what gold, braided hair indicated in ancient Roman culture; wealth and status. Now, we're going to take a quick look at the  other  significant biblical text that addresses modesty.  This whole series would be incomplete without addres...

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...

English: Moses striking the rock (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ .” ( 1 Corinthians 10:4 ) One of the most amazing miracles recorded in the Bible occurred when Moses smote the rock on Mount Horeb and water came forth sufficient to satisfy all the multitude there in the wilderness ( Exodus 17:6 ). In describing this great event, the psalmist later sang: “He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths. He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers” ( Psalm 78:15-16 ). In our text above, Paul indicates that the miracle had great symbolic significance as well. “That Rock was Christ.” The Greek word used here for “rock” is petra, the same word used by Christ when He said that “upon this rock I will build my church” ( Matthew 16:18 ). Christ is the one foundation upon which the church i...

Philippe de Champaigne, La Visitation. Museo de Arte e Historia de Ginebra (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” ( Luke 1:46-47 ) Two Jewish ladies, each carrying children recently conceived, met to discuss their circumstances. Perhaps billions of mothers, before and since, have had similar encounters, but since this meeting between Mary and Elizabeth was so special and precious, perhaps we can all profit by its study. The first thing we notice is that their conversation turned immediately to God, to praise of Him for His goodness and grace. No doubt each one experienced all the common difficulties and discomforts of these months but chose instead to dwell on their blessings and the greatness of God. Mary especially, in the discourse introduced by our text, burst forth in a torrent of praise, singing of the virtues of her Savior and reveling in His grace (vv. 46-55). He had chosen her despite...

We live in a culture that is a quick and dirty culture. We want to become mature Christians in five easy lessons. We want to become saints by fifteen minutes a day. We want to have flat stomachs and strong abs by three workouts a week. That may work over a given period of time for your abs, but it's not going to work for your soul. Attending the school of God takes time and labor and energy and deeply committing oneself to prayer, to the study of Scripture, to fellowship with other believers, to ministry within the life of the church. We need to listen to Paul: "When I became a man , I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror , dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love" (1 Cor. 13:11-13). Paul was the most mature Christian alive in the world in his day, a man who had the equivalent of two doctorates in theology by the ...

Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, was a military general in the Book of Judges   Wikipedia ) Judges is the account of how Israel behaves between the death of Joshua and the leadership of a king. Instead of remaining loyal to God and following His laws, this generation of Israelites wanders in their faith, worshiping idols, indulging in violence, and mingling with the evil nations around them. The book of Judges opens with a snapshot of the political and spiritual landscape: The land is not fully possessed yet, as Israel does not drive out a few “pockets” of the people they were told to eliminate. The military and spiritual leader Joshua is dead. The people begin worshiping false gods (introduced by the Canaanites living among them). Judges presents various examples of how God deals with His people during this time period. The stories of Judges follow a pattern ( Jgs 2:11–23): Israel turns from God and serves idols. God turns Israel over to the op...

Crossing of the red sea (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) I’ve been reading through the book of Exodus again. When I look at all that Moses went through as a leader, it tends to make me feel a bit better about my own challenges. This time as I read I paid close attention to every time the Israelites grumbled against or quarreled with Moses in the early days of their exodus from Egypt… and it was a lot! But here is what is curious to me… each time they grumbled or quarreled with him, Moses went to God . He didn’t argue with them. He didn’t try to reason with them. He didn’t try to explain himself or his decisions. He didn’t try to make them happy. He went to God.  Moses got what I often forget – He knew that he was simply an instrument for God. Moses understood that he was leading these people for and with God. I get this wrong all the time. I’ve never considered myself a people-pleaser and yet if I’m honest I feel a whole lot better about my leadership if people like me ...

English: Raising of Lazarus by Jesus (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany , the village of Mary and her sister Martha. And it was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment, and wiped His feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick. The sisters therefore sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold he whom You love is sick.”   —John 11:1–3 The household of Mary and Martha is one in which Jesus and His disciples had been given hospitality whenever they had been in the area of Judea . Apparently, Lazarus was a wealthy man, and he used his wealth to support the ministry of Christ . The fact that Mary and Martha sent for Jesus as soon as Lazarus became ill is evidence of their faith in His power. No doubt they thought, If Jesus is willing to heal total strangers, certainly He will jump at the opportunity to heal one who has been a friend. But such was not the case. But when Jesus heard it, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for...

Mosaic of the 12 Tribes of Israel. From Givat Mordechai synagogue wall in Jerusalem. Top row, right to left: Reuben, Judah, Dan, Asher Middle: Simeon, Issachar, Naphtali, Joseph Bottom: Levi, Zebulun, Gad, Benjamin (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “When Jesus says to the disciples, ‘Truly, I say to you, in the new world , when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel .’ This is Matthew 19:28 . The ESV translation ‘new world’ is more accurately translated in the NIV as the ‘renewal of all things.’  Although I think a more precise translation would be ‘the regeneration of all things.’ Also, in 2 Cor 5:17, ‘Therefore if anyone is in Christ , he is a new creation .’ But here’s the NIV translation… ‘Therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come.’ Literally, the Greek reads ‘Behold, has emerged the new.’ It seems that the better rendering is the NIV, that ‘if anyone is ...

1 Corinthians 12:12–20 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ . 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. By comparing the local assembly to the human body Paul stresses that unity does not mean uniformity but interrelatedness and interdependence. “The unity that the Spirit brings is the unity of a living organism. It retains its variety. It is able to adjust to new situations and meet new opportunities and challenges.” The statement “So it is with Christ” then draws attention to the fact that our union is with Christ, so that we belong to Him—and only then to His Church. The unity of the Body is emphasized further by the fact that there is only one Spirit and only one Body. All believers (cf. Eph. 4:16), whatever their background, race, or social status, have a part in it because the Spirit ba...