Rick Ianniello

Freedom from Self-Preservation

2009-11-22T08:18:00.001-05:00

Ray Ortlund on Freedom from Self-PreservationPeter denied Jesus, to preserve himself physically (Mark 14:66-72). Later he denied the gospel, to preserve himself socially (Galatians 2:11-21). But by the time he wrote his first letter, his heart had been set free: “I have written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. Stand firm in it” (1 Peter 5:12).What is “

mercy

2009-11-21T13:18:00.001-05:00

“Mercy is a command of God, yet it cannot simply be a response to a demand. It must arise out of hearts made generous and gracious by an understanding and experience of God’s mercy. It is the hearts of the congregation that must be melted until they ask, “Where is my neighbor?” ~ Tim Keller, Ministries of Mercy, p 135

the gospel

2009-11-21T10:30:00.001-05:00

"The law cannot create faith because it tells us what is to be done. It can only announce to those who transgress it what they have not done; consequently, it brings despair in its wake.The promise [of the gospel], by contrast, tells us what has been done by someone else. That is why it brings life.Once the law's just sentence has been satisfied in Christ, it is no longer our executioner, but

same old opposition

2009-11-21T09:48:00.001-05:00

"In every generation, Christians face opposition to the word of God that they profess. Sometimes the attacks are subtle. Sometimes they are not. The issues vary, but the opposition from the enemy does not. His line of attack is ancient: "Hath God really said?" (Gen 3:1). Has God really said that there is only one way of salvation? Has God really said that you cannot serve God and your money? Has

gw haox

2009-11-21T09:17:00.001-05:00

Well, it's not final, and I'm sure someone will find some way around this, but for those of you that continue to insist global warming isn't a hoax, it's getting harder for you.Technorati Tags: current events

whiplashing

2009-11-21T09:02:00.000-05:00

I'm 50/50 (qualitatively speaking, not quantitative) on what Ken Silva claims as true. That is, I think his quotes are technically correct but he makes links and implications that I don't always see. In that, and due to his general 'tone', to me, he comes across as harsh and unhelpful. Even when I agree with his point, it takes a bit of effort to weed through the rhetoric to get to the issue he

marriage and christ

2009-11-21T06:24:00.001-05:00

"Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5.25)When we befriend the world we are adulterers (James 4.4). The image of Christ and His Church as a marriage union is an important one and is reflected in human marriage. It is a mystery and has only one proper manifestation (pure, love-based, male-female, etc., Eph 4, Gen 2.24). Marriage is meant to

a real view of god

2009-11-19T14:34:00.000-05:00

“The design of every false scheme and system of religion is to depict the character of God in such a way that it is agreeable to the tastes of the carnal heart, acceptable to depraved human nature. And that can only be done by a species of misrepresentation: the ignoring of those of His prerogatives and perfections which are objectionable, and the disproportionate emphasizing of those of His

the gospel

2009-11-19T13:33:00.001-05:00

“Were I asked to focus the New Testament message in three words, my proposal would be adoption through propitiation, and I do not expect ever to meet a richer or more pregnant summary of the gospel than that.” — J.I. Packer, Knowing GodHT:OFI

god's will

2009-11-15T16:42:00.000-05:00

Kevin DeYoung on God's will ...that we live holy, set-apart lives (1 Thess 4.3)that we always rejoice, pray, and give thanks (1 Thess 5.16-18)that we know God's will so that we can bear fruit and know Him better (Col 1.9)that we be full of the Holy Spirit (Eph 5.17-21)Quoting Gerald Sittser in The Will of God as a Way of Life:And what is that will [of God}? Is it some specific, secret plan God

every day

2009-11-15T07:38:00.001-05:00

“It’s no wonder that self-help books top the charts in Christian publishing and that counseling offices are overwhelmed. Our pride and our neglect of the gospel force us to run from seminar to seminar, book to book, counselor to counselor, always seeking but never finding some secret to holy living.Most of us have never really understood that Christianity is not a self-help religion meant to

which i

2009-11-14T21:21:00.001-05:00

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Gal 2.20Note, "it is no longer I who live" and "I now live". Which is it? Do I live or do I not live?It is "I" who died and now it is a different "I" who lives (2 Cor 5.17; Eph 2.5-6). Our old

life v. afterlife

2009-11-14T21:08:00.000-05:00

Michael Wittmer:Some postmodern innovators focus on this life rather than the afterlife. Machen said that liberals in his day believed that concern for the next life is “a form of selfishness.” Consequently, “the liberal preacher has very little to say about the other world. This world is really the centre of all his thoughts; religion itself, and even God, are made merely a means for the

extended salvation

2009-11-14T21:06:00.001-05:00

Michael Wittmer:The postmodern innovator favors a watered down version of inclusivism which extends salvation to those who have not believed in Christ. Machen said that liberals in his day wanted “a salvation which will save all men everywhere, whether they have heard of Jesus or not, and whatever may be the type of life to which they have been reared.” He replied that such openness would

assurance

2009-11-14T08:29:00.001-05:00

R.C. Sproul on Rejecting False Assurances:If we think the Bible teaches universal salvation, we may arrive at a false sense of assurance by reasoning as follows: Everybody is saved. I am a body. Therefore, I am saved.Or, if we think salvation is gained by our own good works and we are further deluded into believing that we possess good works, we will have a false assurance of salvation.To have

gay marriage

2009-11-09T21:26:00.000-05:00

In the wake of recent elections regarding homosexual marriage, Michael Wittmer asks:1. What is our new and improved definition of marriage? If marriage is no longer a covenant between one man and one woman, then what is it?2. What is the source of this new definition? It doesn’t come from the scriptures or tradition of any world religion. It doesn’t come from natural law (as most junior high

people in hell

2009-11-09T14:05:00.001-05:00

Don Carson on "How can God be loving and yet send people to hell?"How can God be loving yet send people to hell? from A Passion for Life on Vimeo.

worldliness

2009-11-08T17:14:00.001-05:00

"Being dead to the world means that every legitimate pleasure in the world becomes a blood-bought evidence of Christ's love and an occasion of boasting in the cross. When our hearts run back along the beam of blessing to the source in the cross, then the worldliness of the blessing is dead, and Christ crucified is everything." ~ John Piper, Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die

walls

2009-11-08T16:53:00.001-05:00

Michael Wittmer:Postmodern innovators seek to break down the walls between Christians and non-Christians and emphasize our common journey with God. Machen agreed that “The Christian man can accept all that the modern liberal means by the brotherhood of man. But the Christian knows also of a relationship far more intimate than that general relationship of man to man, and it is for this more

christian experience

2009-11-07T07:19:00.001-05:00

“Spiritual experience that does not arise from God’s word is not Christian experience. . . . Not all that passes for Christian experience is genuine. An authentic experience of the Spirit is an experience in response to the gospel. Through the Spirit the truth touches our hearts, and that truth moves our emotions and effects our wills.” - Tim Chester and Steve Timmis, Total ChurchHT:FE

how do you respond

2009-11-06T18:39:00.001-05:00

I like this from Matt Dabbs ...How do we respond when the truth about our lives is fully revealed? Do we embrace it or do we kick, scream and fight against it?Read how Jesus "gets testy" ...

the liberal cross

2009-11-06T08:13:00.000-05:00

Michael Wittmer:Some postmodern innovators object to the traditional understanding of the cross: Why does God demand the sacrifice of his innocent Son to satisfy his wrath? Machen noted that modern liberals raised the same issue. He wrote: “Modern liberal teachers…speak with horror of the doctrine of an ‘alienated’ or an ‘angry’ God,” for this implies that God is “waiting coldly until a price be

more sola scriptura

2009-11-05T15:13:00.000-05:00

R.C. Sproul on Sola Scriptura ...Sola Scriptura, like the Scriptures themselves, recognizes that God has gifted the church with teachers and pastors. It recognizes that the church has progressed and reached consensus on critical issues in and through the ancient ecumenical creeds. It affirms with vigor that we are all standing on the shoulders of giants. But it also affirms that even these giants

god loves gays

2009-11-05T11:29:00.000-05:00

"God loves gays." What does a person mean when they say that?Some mean God loves them as He loves anyone? Yes ... while that could use more fleshing out I'd say, "yeah sure". He loved me even when I was a rebel sinner. He even suffered and died so that I might die with Him. And He rose so that I might live again in Him. Amazing love!!!Others mean that we ought not engage in unloving activity

god's will(s)

2009-11-04T20:31:00.001-05:00

For those of you who struggle with predestination, this won't help ...Jeremiah 25 - God sent Babylon to punish Juda, but God also punished Babylon for acting wickedly against God's people ...Acts 2.23 - God planned the death of His son and yet those who killed Christ were called lawless men ...Divine sovereignty and human responsibility ... I have no issue with the two together. God is sovereign,