The Commander's Commander - Part One

By James Boice
Theme: Three Changeless Factors
This week’s lessons describe the mysterious encounter Joshua has with a man who identifies himself as the commander of the Lord’s army. 
 
SCRIPTURE 
Joshua 5:13-15
 
When Joshua was by Jericho, he lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, a man was standing before him with his drawn sword in his hand.

In studying the book of Joshua in preparation for these studies, I have been greatly helped by Francis Schaeffer’s study. And I have been most impressed with Schaeffer’s unique approach to Joshua in using the theme of continuity, that is, the continuity between God’s dealings with Israel under the leadership of Moses, and the way in which God is now operating with the people under the leadership of Joshua. The point of this continuity is that God is the one eternal and immutable God.

 

Think and Act Biblically from James Boice is a devotional of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It is supported only by its readers and gracious Christians like you. Please prayerfully consider supporting Think and Act Biblically and the mission of the Alliance.

Getting to the Root

by David Smith • July 31, 2015
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Getting to the Root
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We are given various historical examples and descriptions of sin in Scripture. One way to describe sin is that it is our rejection of, and rebellion against, having the true and living Triune God as our God. But this does not stop God from being God and ruling over us. The first man, Adam, learned this, as the saying goes, “the hard way.” He learned that it was sinful, even extreme foolishness to trust his own reasoning rather than God’s revelation of truth to him. By his Word and Spirit God created Adam, placed him in creation, gave him a duty within creation and explicit personal communication—revelation—so that he could interpret creation and live in it for his enjoyment, the expansion of the human race and the extension of God’s kingdom. Adam thought he had a better way.

We are given various historical examples and descriptions of sin in Scripture. One way to describe sin is that it is our rejection of, and rebellion against, having the true and living Triune God as our God. But this does not stop God from being God and ruling over us. The first man, Adam, learned this, as the saying goes, “the hard way.” He learned that it was sinful, even extreme foolishness to trust his own reasoning rather than God’s revelation of truth to him.

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Following Jesus 90

The Smyrna Church. Revelation 2:8-11. The Persecuted Church. 
 
The Smyrna Church. Revelation 2:8-11. The Persecuted Church. 
 
“And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘the words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. “‘I know your tribulation and your poverty but you are rich) and the slander of those who say that they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation.

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The Covenant People and the Covenant Sign - Part Five

By James Boice
Theme: Covenant Consecration
This week’s lessons teach the importance of Israel’s consecration before they began their conquest of the Promised Land.
 
SCRIPTURE
Joshua 5:1-12 
 
As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, t
So in the sacrament of circumcision we find its parallel in the matter of our baptism. And when we look at the Passover, we find its parallel in our Communion service which looks back to the death of Christ. The Lord’s Supper has the elements of the broken bread and the wine, which signify Christ's broken body and poured out blood. We see that we are to consecrate ourselves as well, because the God who operated with His people in the past is operating with us today. It is the same God, and it is the same Gospel, though the circumstances in history are different. We need exactly the kind of consecration that these people had on this occasion.
 

Think and Act Biblically from James Boice is a devotional of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It is supported only by its readers and gracious Christians like you. Please prayerfully consider supporting Think and Act Biblically and the mission of the Alliance.

The Cynical Question of the Pharisees

Posted 7/31/15 by Donald Barnhouse
The question raised by the Pharisees and Herodians might seem legitimate enough on the surface: “Teacher, we know that  You are true, and care for no man; for You do not regard the position of men, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Should we pay them, or should we not? (w. 14-15) But the question cannot be understood without understanding the motives of the questioners. These were the parties we read about in Mark 3:6: “The Pharisees went out, and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against Him, how to destroy Him.
Theme: Who Is the Christ?
 
SCRIPTURE
Mark 12:13-17
 
And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

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The Heart and the World

by David Hall • July 30, 2015
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The Heart and the World
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The heart is undeniably the controlling faculty in our life. In biblical theology the heart—not the mind, nor the body—is depicted as control central of the human being. Study the Psalms sometime to see how the heart stands for the sum of the whole person.

Read Matthew 6:19-34

The heart is undeniably the controlling faculty in our life. In biblical theology the heart—not the mind, nor the body—is depicted as control central of the human being. Study the Psalms sometime to see how the heart stands for the sum of the whole person.

Jesus says (Mt. 6:21) for where your (ambition) is, there you will also indubitably find your heart. By that he means that the things we really value and pursue—in order to store up—are inwardly motivated by our hearts.

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Following Jesus 89

Churches in general, and followers of Jesus in particular, may leave their love for God for one of the following: 
 
Churches in general, and followers of Jesus in particular, may leave their love for God for one of the following: 
 
  • Silver. Money. I Timothy 6:6-10; Hebrews 13:5; Psalm 37:7, 17; Proverbs 23:4-5. 
  • Sloth; A lazy love and longing to be entertained. Proverbs 13:4; Colossians 3:23; 2 Thessalonians 3:10. Perhaps through drugs, alcohol, the media, games, etc. 
  • Sexual Immorality. I Thessalonians 4:1-8; I Corinthians 6:15-20. 
  • Selfishness. A love of self.

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The Covenant People and the Covenant Sign - Part Four

By James Boice
Theme: The Meaning of Circumcision and the Passover
This week’s lessons teach the importance of Israel’s consecration before they began their conquest of the Promised Land.
 
SCRIPTURE
Joshua 5:1-12
 
As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the Lord had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they ha
Yesterday we looked at the idea of circumcision as an initiatory sacrament for Israel. There is an initiatory sacrament for the Christian church as well; however our initial sacrament is not circumcision, but baptism. And in baptism, especially in the baptism of children, we have a remnant of what that means because in some forms of the baptismal ceremony, the child is actually given what we call his Christian name. That's sort of a carry-over in the idea. The child is named as belonging within the covenant people of God. Whether that happens when we are infants, as is practiced in the majority of the denominations of Christendom, or whether it happens as an adult, baptism marks the formal entry point into the Christian church. Think about what you were before you were given a Christian identification. Before, you were “John Sinner” or “Mary Sinner,” and were apart from God. But now you're “John Christian” or “Mary Christian” or whatever it may be. It indicates your faith in God’s promises.
 

Think and Act Biblically from James Boice is a devotional of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It is supported only by its readers and gracious Christians like you. Please prayerfully consider supporting Think and Act Biblically and the mission of the Alliance.

Who Is the Christ?

Posted 7/30/15 by Donald Barnhouse
Each time election year rolls around in America, voters can witness debates between candidates for various offices. The goal is for the speakers to interact with one another’s ideas, clarify their views for the voters, and get at the truth. Unfortunately, what the listener often gets instead is a mixture of mud, whitewash, and soft soap!
Theme: Who Is the Christ?
 
SCRIPTURE
Mark 12:13-34
 
And they sent to him some of the Pharisees and some of the Herodians, to trap him in his talk. And they came and said to him, “Teacher, we know that you are true and do not care about anyone's opinion. For you are not swayed by appearances, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?

The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals is member supported and operates only by your faithful support. Thank you.

Making God’s Word Plain is a devotional of the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. It is supported only by its readers and gracious Christians like you. Please prayerfully consider supporting Making God’s Word Plain and the mission of the Alliance.

What is Man

by David Reese • July 29, 2015
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What is Man?
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There is an obvious focus upon the 6th Day of creation to which our attention is called in Genesis 1.  This emphasis is underscored by certain changes in the text including the introduction of new phrases and even by the proportion given to it.  As you read through the passage, each new day brings greater beauty and complexity to God’s work of creation, and then we come to the crowning jewel of all of God’s creative work—the creation of mankind.  When David thinks through the implications of the place of mankind within God’s creation, he breaks forth in worship saying as he does in Psalm 8:1-6,

There is an obvious focus upon the 6th Day of creation to which our attention is called in Genesis 1.  This emphasis is underscored by certain changes in the text including the introduction of new phrases and even by the proportion given to it.  As you read through the passage, each new day brings greater beauty and complexity to God’s work of creation, and then we come to the crowning jewel of all of God’s creative work—the creation of mankind.  When David thinks through the implications of the place of mankind within God’s creation, he bre

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