10 Principles for Christian Husbands & Fathers KEVIN DEYOUNG APRIL 14, 2015 Most Christian men in theologically conservative circles embrace the biblical truth that they are to lead their families in Christ. Though most embrace this reality and are convinced of its necessity, it is equally true that most of us are not quite sure how to do this. Too few of us grew up in Christian homes with strong and godly Christian fathers to model it before us. How does a Christian husband and father lead their family well in Christ? I would suggest the following is a starting…
Sunday Morning Calls to Worship
Call to Worship December 27 2020
“These verses show us, that there may be true servants of God in places where we should not expect to find them. The Lord Jesus has many ‘hidden ones’ like these wise men. Their history on earth may be as little known as that of Melchizedek, and Jethro, and Job. But their names are in the book of life, and they will be found with Christ in the day of His appearing. It is well to remember this. We must not look round the earth and say hastily, ‘all is barren.’ The grace of God is not tied to places and families….
Call to Worship December 20 2020
“Let us ever rest our souls on the thought, that times are in God’s hand. (Psalm 31:15.) He knows the best season for sending help to His church, and new light to the world. Let us beware of giving way to over-anxiety about the course of events around us — as if we knew better than the King of kings, what time relief should come. ‘Cease, Philip [Melancthon], to try to govern the world,’ was a frequent saying of [Martin] Luther to an anxious friend. It was a saying full of wisdom.” (J.C. Ryle, Luke: Expository Thoughts on the Gospel, vol. 1, [Carlisle,…
Call to Worship December 13 2020
“(Luke 1:26-33) We should notice, in the first place — the lowly and unassuming manner in which the Savior of mankind came among us.The angel who announced His coming, was sent to an obscure town of Galilee, named Nazareth. The woman who was honored to be our Lord’s mother, was evidently in a humble position of life. Both in her station and her dwelling-place, there was an utter absence of what the world calls ‘greatness.’ We need not hesitate to conclude, that there was a wise providence in all this arrangement. The Almighty counsel, which orders all things in Heaven…
Call to Worship December 6 2020
Expository Thoughts on 1 Corinthians 14In succinct, but measured, previous comments the “gift of tongues” as noted in I Corinthians 14 has been biblically defined. The scripture revealed that this was a gift in which known intelligible foreign languages were used in specific situations for the revelation of the New Covenant to be brought forth to its intended hearers. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians, the gift was becoming less useful and necessary as the word was going out to different regions around the Mediterranean Sea. If speaking in known foreign languages was better than the use of the “gift…
Call to Worship November 29 2020
Expository Thoughts on 1 Corinthians 14 Paul exhorted the church in Corinth to further consider how tongues were unprofitable apart from interpretation. First, he continued to establish the context of tongues as known languages in verses 10 and 11. “10 There are,” He stated, “perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. 11 If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me” (1 Cor. 14:10-11 NAU). Paul drew attention to the fact that there…
Call to Worship November 22 2020
Expository Thoughts on 1 Corinthians 14 The Corinthian church had many growing pains and the exercise of spiritual gifts contributed to their many difficulties. Paul previously focused on the foundation of the church and the gifts that were in Christ by the one Holy Spirit. He cautioned them not to be so individually minded and to remember they were a part of a local body of Christ. Every person was a necessary part of the body (Ch. 12). So they needed to focus on the greater gifts of faith, hope, and love, of which the greatest is love (Ch. 13)….
Cll to Worship November 15 2020
Expository Thoughts on 1 Corinthians 13 Previously, Paul named and listed particular gifts in Chapter 12. He also taught that every believer in the church was not gifted in exactly the same way and that we all needed one another. He called us to honor and respect one another even though our gifts may not be equal or the same. In Chapter 13 Paul continued to consider the issue of spiritual gifts in the Corinthian Church. He directed them to consider even greater gifts than tongues, prophecy, faith, and even giving to the poor. He portrayed the negative side of…
Call to Worship November 8 2020
Expository Thoughts on 1 Corinthians 12:13-31 After Paul set the foundation and primary purpose of spiritual gifts, by the Triune God, he set the context of the gifts in the body of Christ. Paul developed this context by way of an illustration of the physical body. Our physical bodies are one body with many members of that body. We have hands, eyes, ears, and noses. Those parts of our bodies are individually recognizable, but not individually functional apart from the whole system of the body. To simply have a hand with no arm, shoulder, torso and so forth is of…
Call to Worship November 1 2020
Thoughts on 1 Corinthians 12:1-13 As previously noted there was contention regarding authority issues and with the Lord’s Supper at the church in Corinth. Then Paul turned his focus in the letter to another pressing matter, which concerned spiritual gifts. Paul laid a foundation for thinking through the subject of spiritual gifts before he gave any explanation of the gifts. His thought regarded their foundation in the Triune God. He reminded Corinthian believers of their past in worshipping idols with mouths that could not speak. Yet by the power of the Holy Spirit all believers were enabled to proclaim Jesus…