Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Nov 16, 2008
A ship that is moored to a dock by a chain is only as secure as the weakest link in that chain. If a severe storm comes and causes even one link to break, the entire ship breaks away. So it is for those who try to
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Nov 23, 2008
How Many Promises in the Bible?
Dr. Everek R. Storms of Ontario spent a vast amount of time studying the promises of Scripture. Writing in Contact Magazine, he said:
“The Holy Scriptures contain a grand total of 8,810 promises. How do I know? I counted them. Dr. Storms goes on to classify the
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Nov 23, 2008
On God’s promises, C.H. Spurgeon said;
“God never gives his children a promise which he does not intend them to use. There are some promises in the Bible which I have never yet used, but I am well assured that there will come times of trial and trouble when I shall find that that poor despised
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Nov 23, 2008
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CONTRACT VS. COVENANT
In describing the nature of a Christ-Centered covenant, Bruce Shelley in Christian Theology in Plain Language, writes:
In modern times we define a host of relations by contracts. These are usually for goods or services and for hard cash. The contract, formal or informal,
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 2, 2008
Kite
Once on a time a paper kite
Was mounted to a wondrous height,
Where, giddy with its elevation,
It thus express’d self-admiration:
“See how yon crowds of gazing people
Admire my flight above the steeple;
How would they wonder if they knew
All that a kite like me can do!
Were I but free, I’d
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 2, 2008
The aspect of perfect obedience has perplexed and troubled many. Why is it that the one who sins greatly is condemned like the one who is much less sinful? Take a situation of three workmen on a building. One workman got so engrossed in his work that he wasn’t paying attention, stepped back and
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 2, 2008
John Stott said: “No man has ever appreciated the gospel until the law has first revealed him to himself. It is only against the inky blackness of the night sky that the stars begin to appear, and it is only against the dark background of sin and judgment that the gospel shines forth”
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 8, 2008
Letting Children Free to Develop?
I’ve used this illustration before, but I think it speaks so well as to the nature of guidance and children:
A Gentleman was once talking with a man who told him that he did not believe in giving little children any moral instruction whatsoever. His theory was
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 8, 2008
“Gracious Father, I humbly beseech thee for thy Holy Catholic Church; fill it with all truth, in all truth with all peace. Where it is corrupt, purge it; where it is in error, direct it; where it is superstitious, rectify it; where anything is amiss, reform it; where it is right, strengthen and
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 8, 2008
Being one with other Christians is much like a biological body. In any flesh-and-bones body, there are a variety of cells. There are nerve cells, blood cells, muscle cells, and many others, each having a distinct function. The body operates smoothly, not because the cells get together and vote on
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 21, 2008
based on 8 ratings
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Mary Had The Little Lamb
Mary had the little Lamb, who lived before His birth;
Self-existent Son of God, from Heaven He came to Earth. (Micah 5:2)
Mary had the little Lamb; see Him in yonder stall—
Virgin-born Son of God, to save man from the Fall. (Isaiah 7:14)
Mary had the little Lamb,
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 21, 2008
based on 1 rating
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Can This Be Christmas?
What's all this hectic rush and worry?
Where go these crowds who run and curry?
Why all the lights--the Christmas trees?
The jolly "fat man," tell me please!
Why, don't you know? This is the day
For parties and for fun and play;
Why this is Christmas!
So this is Christmas,
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 28, 2008
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For Israel there were the Canaanite Baals, those jolly nature gods whose worship was a rampage of gluttony, drunkenness, and ritual prostitution. For us there are still the great gods Sex, Shekels, and Stomach (an unholy trinity constituting one god: self), and the other enslaving trio, Pleasure,
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Dec 28, 2008
Backsliding:
Dear Lord! accept a sinful heart,
Which of itself complains,
And mourns, with much and frequent smart,
The evil it contains.
There fiery seeds of anger lurk,
Which often hurt my frame;
And wait but for the tempter’s work,
To fan them to a flame.
Legality holds out a bribe
To
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jan 12, 2009
Hagar, Horeb, earthly Salem,
Works of Flesh will not avail them.
Sarah, Zion, heavenly Salem,
Christ, their Lord, will never fail them.
(William Hendriksen: Galatians New
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jan 26, 2009
The story is told of an aspiring artist who was commissioned to do a large sculpture for a famous museum. At last he had the opportunity to create the masterpiece he had long dreamed of. After laboring over the work for many years, he saw it grow not only in shape but in beauty. But when it was
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jan 26, 2009
When the Judaizers told the Galatians that they had to get circumcised to become good Christians, they were adding the law to the gospel. They were saying that Moses had to finish what Christ could only begin.
To illustrate the problem with this kind of theology, consider the man who had an old
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jan 26, 2009
People often think that works they do that they think are righteous are going to outweigh any faults they do?
Imagine a motorist driving down a city street and deliberately driving through a red light. He is pulled over by a policeman who asks to see his driver’s license. Immediately the driver
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Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Feb 1, 2009
Benjamin Franklin wrote: “For want of a nail the shoe was lost,; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; for want of a horse the rider was
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