Dr Paul Allen

( ) (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Many of the world's favorite fads are toxic, and they are becoming increasingly so as our society descends further in its spiritual death-spiral. It's like a radioactive toxicity, so while those who immerse themselves in it might not notice its effects instantly, they nevertheless cannot escape the inevitable, soul-destroying contamination. And woe to those who become comfortable with the sinful fads of secular society. The final verse of Romans 1 expressly condemns those "who, knowing the righteous judgment of God , that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them." Even when you marry such worldliness with good systematic theology and a vigorous defense of substitutionary atonement , the soundness of the theoretical doctrine doesn't sanctify the wickedness of the practical lifestyle. The opposite happens. Solid biblical doctrine is trivialized and moc...

Apostle Silas (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Regardless of position, leaders rarely find themselves satisfied by status quo. Except for the few who lead at the very top of an organization, the problems many see are outside of their control. Discouraged by their inability to make every necessary improvement, many church leaders choose to withdraw from the change process entirely. This “all or nothing” thinking places them in maintenance mode. Recently, a business professor introduced me to three simple questions asked by managers seeking improvements to their production processes. Applied by church leaders, they can be very revealing about the things we choose to focus on… What can I directly control? What can I influence? What is out of my control or influence? Unfortunately, the things outside of our control or influence often absorb the majority of our focus. We recognize that we cannot affect them yet continue to develop unvoiced solutions in our minds. Rather than d...

Image via Wikipedia The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea , and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue .  Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica ; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.  ( Acts 17:10-11 ) Why were the Bereans more noble than those in Thessalonica?  2 reasons: 1) They received the word with all eagerness. 2) They went back home and examined the Scriptures to see if what Paul and Silas preached lined up with the word of God. We should always receive God’s word preached to us with all eagerness. We shouldn’t sit there, arms crossed with an “I dare you to try to teach me something” attitude. At the same time that doesn’t mean we must accept everything a pastor says without question. We can be both eager to hear God’s word preached, yet at the same time be discerning. It’s not wrong see if what a pastor preaches lines up wit...

Image via Wikipedia “[The Bereans ] were more noble- minded than those in Thessalonica , for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so” ( Acts 17:11). God honors spiritual discernment . On his second missionary journey Paul, accompanied by Silas , preached the gospel of Jesus Christ in the city of Thessalonica. They weren’t there long before the gospel took root and many turned from their idolatry “to serve a true and living God” ( 1 Thess. 1:9). In 1 Thessalonians 2:13 Paul says, “We also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God’s message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God.” Their open r Image via Wikipedia esponse to God’s Word made them an example to all the believers in that area (1 Thess. 1:7). But as exemplary as the Thessalonians were, their fellow-believers in Berea were even more so. God called them “noble-minded” (Act...

Image via Wikipedia "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now." ( Philippians 1:3-5 )   This poignant letter was written to a church that Paul founded early in his ministry to the Gentiles ( Acts 16:12-15 ).  He endured challenging opposition there, followed for days by a demon-possessed young girl, tossed into prison by an angry business community, beaten and locked immobile into wooden stocks ( Acts 16:16-24 ).   Yet in that dark midnight, while Paul and Silas sang the hymns of the faith, God struck the jail with an earthquake and opened both the chains and the doors of the prison.  The head jailor became converted, and along with the successful businesswoman Lydia, the seed of a flourishing church was planted ( Acts 16:25-34 ).   It is to these "saints" and the "bishops and deacons" of the church at Philippi that...

There is an unmistakable correlation between the miracles God did in history and the unusual commands He gave those who obeyed him. Over and over he asked His servants to do ridonkulous things in order to release His miraculous power. In each case obedience was desired and required. Miracles always occur on the other side of obedience. That is where David kills Goliath . It’s where there the Israelites obtain the Promiseland. When Jesus told Peter to cast his net on the other side of the boat it was not the different side of the boat that produced the miracle. It was a matter of obedience. It was doing what Jesus said as ridiculous as it may have seemed in that moment. - Noah had to build the ark for the coming flood in order to find safety. -Abraham had to leave his familiar surroundings to discover a new dream. -Moses had to stretch out his hands over the red sea to experience deliverance. -Esther had to boldly go into the King’s presence before God rescued his people. ...