Dr Paul Allen

Jesus is considered by scholars such as Weber to be an example of a charismatic religious leader. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ , let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.” ( Hebrews 6:1 )   Many of the grand old hymns of the faith are still treasured even today. Their strength and enduring popularity lie in their use of music to teach scriptural truth, many times weaving in phrases from various scriptural passages to make a doctrinal point.   Such is the case with the hymn (of unknown authorship) normally entitled “ How Firm a Foundation .” Each verse contains unusually rich scriptural insights, using the words of Scripture , primarily built around the theme of the security of the believer.   The first verse is quite familiar: How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord , Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word! What...

Image via Wikipedia If you do a study of the term  Son of Man  in the Gospels you'll see that  Jesus didn't refer to himself most often as Son of God but as Son of Man. He said things like, in Mark 10:45, "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many." So he calls himself Son of Man very often. I think the reason he did so is because, on the face of it,  Son of Man  is an ordinary phrase for " human being ." He was born of a man. And there's no offense there: who isn't a son of man ?  But those with ears to hear could hear  Daniel  7, in which he was claiming a very exalted role in the history of redemption. And he meant to do it.  Jesus was very subtle in that he was always opening his identity to those with eyes to see, but he wasn't opening it so blatantly that everybody would come and make him king.  He had to steer a very narrow course in disclosing his identity, not j...

This set of images was gathered by User:Dcoetzee from the National Portrait Gallery, London website using a special tool. All images in this batch have been evaluated manually for evidence that the artist probably died before 1939, or that the work is anonymous or pseudonymous and was probably published before 1923. Author floruit in 1846, presumed dead by 1923. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Charles Spurgeon writes, . . . the real reason why God 's people do not feed under a gospel ministry, is, because they have not faith . If you believed, if you did but hear one promise, that would be enough; if you only heard one good thing from the pulpit here would be food for your soul, for it is not the quantity we hear, but the quantity we believe, that does us good—it is that which we receive into our hearts with true and lively faith, that is our profit (excerpted from " The Sin of Unbelief ").  The massive consumerism of our age has taught us to be critical. We are cons...

Moses with the tablets of the Ten Commandments, painting by Rembrandt (1659) (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) By its own testimony (Deut. 1:1, 5; 31:22), Deuteronomy is the work of Moses. Mosaic authorship is affirmed many times elsewhere in the Old Testament (e.g. 2 Kin. 14:6), in ancient Jewish sources (e.g., Josephus), and in the New Testament. This view was almost universally held until the rise of rationalistic criticism in modern times. Critics correctly point out that the last chapter could not have been written by Moses. It is widely agreed that ch. 34 is an addendum, perhaps appended by Joshua. In the same way, the Book of Joshua ends with the death of Joshua, this record clearly having been supplied by the author of the Book of Judges, who appended verses from Judges to the end of Joshua (Judg. 2:7–9; cf. Josh. 24:29–31).  Likewise, the first verses of Ezra are copied and appended to the last chapter of Chronicles (Chronicles ends in the middle of a sentence). This w...

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) As believers, we recognize the value of imitating Jesus and His leadership style. But if we really think about it, it’s strange that we try to emulate a leader who never developed an organization , regularly encouraged people to stop following Him, and ultimately saw His death as the pinnacle of His accomplishments. What kind of perspective must a leader have to place high value on these kinds of strategies? Jesus was not a manager. His primary role was to function as a spiritual leader . Not all leaders in Christian organizations are spiritual leaders. This is not a criticism as much as a distinction. Distinguishing spiritual leadership from other forms of leadership can free people from unrealistic expectations of some leaders. At the same time, making this distinction can help identify who the spiritual leaders in your organization are. Here are six characteristics that identify most spiritual leaders: They lead others into their own ...

c. 840 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Does man have a free will? This question is one of the most frequently asked questions of theology. At times, it is not voiced as a question but as an objection to the whole idea of a sovereign God . At the heart of the problem is the definition of free will. What are we saying when we assert that man has a free will? Stated briefly, free will simply means that man has the ability to choose what he wants. Such ability requires the presence of a mind, a will, and a desire. If these faculties are present and functioning in a man, that man has a free will. Free will does not mean that man can choose to do anything he pleases and necessarily succeed. We may choose to fly without the aid of mechanical devices. We can fall through the air by ourselves, but we cannot fly through it. We lack the necessary natural equipment (in this case, wings) to fly. This does not mean, however, that we are not free. It does mean that our "freedom" is limit...

Jesus and Saint Peter, Gospel of Matthew 4.18-20 Français : Jésus et Saint Pierre, Évangile selon Matthieu 4.18-20 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 8:18-22 "Another of the disciples said to him, ' Lord , let me first go and bury my father.' And Jesus said to him, 'Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead'" ( vv. 21-22 ). Related articles Where The Wind Blows (sarasmusings.wordpress.com) Matthew 17:2-3 - WHAT IS THE TRANSFIGURATION OF JESUS ABOUT? (pastorross1.wordpress.com) Purpose for Living (allanblog.me) If You Are Not Making Disciples - You Are Not Being One (darrellcreswell.wordpress.com) The Kingdom of Heaven: context (friarmusings.wordpress.com) Jesus is (New Sermon series) (sportsguypressblog.wordpress.com) Who Wants to Be a Disciple of Christ (focusedandfree.com) Total Surrender to Discipleship (organizationalchangesolutionsdotcom.wordpress.com) The Good News and the Deceitful News (vanguardngr.com) Teach Us...

McKinley-Theodore Roosevelt "Prosperity" Metal Elephant Coin Bank, ca. 1900 (Photo credit: Cornell University Library ) Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God , who gives us richly all things to enjoy.— 1 Timothy 6:17 We in the churches seem unable to rise above the fiscal philosophy which rules the business world; so we introduce into our church finances the psychology of the great secular institutions so familiar to us all and judge a church by its financial report much as we judge a bank or a department store . A look into history will quickly convince any interested person that the true church has almost always suffered more from prosperity than from poverty. Her times of greatest spiritual power have usually coincided with her periods of indigence and rejection; with wealth came weakness and backsliding. If this cannot be explained, neither apparently can it be escaped. . . . The poi...

George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham (1592–1628), by Peter Paul Rubens, 1625 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The greatest danger to persistent, effective prayer is the habit of performance without passion. Seventeenth-century Puritan pastor John Preston captures the essence of this danger in these words: If it is performed in a formal or customary and overly manner, you would be as good to omit it altogether; for the Lord takes our prayers not by number but by weight. When it is an outward picture, a dead carcass of prayer, when there is no life, no fervency in it, God does not regard it.  Do not be deceived in this, it is a very common deception. It may be a man’s conscience would be upon him, if he should omit it altogether.  Therefore, when he does something, his heart is satisfied, and so he grows worse and worse. Therefore, consider that the very doing of the duty is not that which the Lord heeds, but He will have it so performed that the end may be obtaine...

English: An etching by Jan Luyken illustrating Matthew 13:47-48 in the Bowyer Bible, Bolton, England. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 13:47 –50. When people abandon Christ , they prove that they never had faith at all, since those with true faith are preserved by God, never to fall away permanently ( 1 John 2:19). Still, when we see people leave Jesus , it does not necessarily mean there is no hope for them. Only God knows the state of a person’s heart, and He may be pleased to bring one who has backslidden back into His fold. That is why we must never cease praying for those who have left the church. Related articles Revelation 3:19-22 (deverenblog.wordpress.com) Praying to the Holy Spirit for physical healing (disciplesofhope.wordpress.com) Seventh Sunday After Easter (A) - A Sermon (rootedradical.wordpress.com) Love Without Exclusion (catholicdevotionalforyouth.wordpress.com) Praying for Others (dailybibleplan.com) Why I am a Ca...

209 Wilshire Christian Church Building (Photo credit: The City Project ) When the surrounding culture changes, one approach that has been taken by many churches over the centuries is to capitulate to the new thought -forms and change the message of Christ to suit the world.  This was true of nineteenth-century liberalism, and it is true in many churches today.  What are the dangers of following the ever-shifting tides of contemporary culture and call the church to walk in the ancient paths. Related articles Cowardly Christian Entertainers (standupforthetruth.com) Liberal Christianity: Ten things to know about this 'third way' (blogs.vancouversun.com) Iraqi Christians flee homes amid Islamic militant rampage (foxnews.com) Bishop Schneider: Schism Looming... (catholictruthblog.com) The Orthodox Church: An Introduction (orthodoxlogos5.wordpress.com) Christians Must Reject Putin's Christianity (juicyecumenism.com) What are the Stations of the Cross? ...

Cover of Basic Theology (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Of course, the answer should be God . Yet I can't tell you how often I've heard well-meaning preachers talk about the gospel without mentioning God's glory and His gracious sovereignty in salvation. We're swimming against the tide to remain God-centered, as the pull to ignore God's glory has been strong since our first parents fell in Eden. Man-centered theology leads to emotional manipulation wherein thousands are coerced into making false professions of faith. It minimizes our radical corruption as sinners and God's power to save His people for His glory. Man-centered theology also sets Christian living in the wrong direction and gives us no grounds for assurance. We start believing the kingdom cannot survive without us, and we base our relationship with the Lord on our performance instead of His grace. Related articles Reformed Theology: The Basics (dcharvest.org) The Necessity of Preaching Obje...

“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law .” ( Psalm 119:18 ) Wondrous indeed is the marvelous universe God has created. “Hearken unto this,” we are challenged, “stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God” ( Job 37:14 ). And as we “consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained” ( Psalm 8:3 ), we can only “stand still” in awe at God’s infinite power. We are even more amazed as we study the intricate complexity of living creatures—especially human beings . “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made : marvellous are thy works” ( Psalm 139:14 ). God’s omniscience is more wondrous than even His omnipotence. Then there is His miraculous ordering of history for the accomplishment of His purposes. “We will not hide them from their children, shewing to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, and his strength, and his wonderful works that he hath done” ( Psalm 78:4 ). ...

English: Icon of Jesus Christ (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) As we mature in Christ we will find ourselves more sensitive to the presence of sin in our lives, noticing “minor” transgressions that were once easily overlooked.  This in turn should make us more vigilant to do what is necessary to prevent bitterness and other invisible sins from welling up within us.  Let not your growing awareness of your own sinfulness discourage you. Instead, arm yourself to fight your flesh more effectively with such knowledge. Ephesians 2:1-10 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins,     in which you used to live  when you followed the ways of this world  and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air,  the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.   All of us also lived among them at one time,  gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we ...