Blogs

15 Discernment Diagnostics | Kevin DeYoung, TGC
What is false teaching and how do we spot it?

101 Writing Tips To Improve Your Writing Today | Bryan Collins, Write to Done
That’s one a day for a hundred days.

“I heard you perfectly, now tell me what you said.” | Paul Wilkinson, Thinking Out Loud
Why is some writing so hard to understand?

How Facebook Became The Old Media, Only Worse | Robert Tracinski, The Federalist
“A report on the inner workings of Facebook’s ‘Trending Topics’ headlines exposes how Facebook contractors routinely manipulated the news feed to exclude topics and news sources of interest to people on the right. ”

Persistent Prayer to a Loving Father | Jason Helopoulos, The Christward Collective
What do we do when persistent prayers remain persistently unanswered?

Talking to My Boys after the Transgender Talk at Their Public School | Brad Hambrick
Brad’s talk with his boys may help you navigate this subject in your own family.

The Seven Deadly Social Networks | Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic
“Every crime against the divine will has its own corresponding digital brand.”

What does the Bible teach about homosexual desire and identity? | Denny Burk
Heath Lambert and Denny Burk did a series of interviews with Family Life Today about their book Transforming Homosexuality.

New Book 

Making All Things New: Inaugurated Eschatology for the Life of the Church by Benjamin L. Gladd and Matthew S. Harmon

Kindle Deals

For your non-Kindle book buying needs please consider using Reformation Heritage Books in the USA and Reformed Book Services in Canada. Good value prices and shipping.

Translating Truth: The Case for Essentially Literal Bible Translation by C. John Collins, Wayne Grudem, et al ($2.99)

Get Real: Sharing Your Everyday Faith Every Day by John Leonard (FREE)

Jesus, Continued…: Why the Spirit Inside You is Better than Jesus Beside You by J.D. Greear ($1.99)

H3 Leadership: Be Humble. Stay Hungry. Always Hustle by Brad Lomenick ($1.99)

Video

See all U.S. National Parks in One Minute

While we all crave inner peace, and recognize that the Holy Spirit is its only source (Isa. 32:15-17), we often fail to really grasp how it’s produced in the soul. Yes, the Holy Spirit gives peace, but He uses means; He uses different ingredients to produce this inner tranquility, ingredients that can be cultivated and mixed together, some of which are identified below.

The peace of forgiveness instead of guilt. Forgiveness quietens the disturbing dread of just judgment for our sin.

The peace of friendship instead of fear. God used to be a terrifying enemy to us, but now He is our Father and even our best friend.

The peace of acceptance instead of rejection. Before faith, no matter how hard we tried to please God, we were rightly rejected and resisted. But after faith, we are 100% accepted in Christ. The striving and struggling is over.

The peace of doing what I can instead of doing what I can’t (Mark. 14:8). I can stop trying to be a Martha and enjoy being a Mary (Luke 10:42). Instead of spending life rushed off my feet, I can sit calmly at Jesus’s feet.

The peace of God-glorifying instead of self-seeking. Calm comes when we give up on self-promotion and aim only at God-promotion.

The peace of love instead of hate. Before regeneration we are full of malice and ill-will. But love stills that ugly storm and sends gentle ripples through the soul.

The peace of peace-making instead of vengeance-taking. No longer do I have to get even. Vengeance is God’s – I give it all over to His repayment department.

The peace of contentment instead of envy. When I never have enough, I never have serenity. When I am content, I know peace that passes understanding.

The peace of presence instead of loneliness. No matter how alone I am, I am never lonely, because God is with me everywhere.

The peace of patience instead of impatience. We no longer get agitated and annoyed at every delay, but rather wait calmly on God’s better timing. His clock is more accurate than mine.

The peace of trust instead of worry. I don’t need to worry about tomorrow, or the next day, or the next year. I don’t need to worry about what I eat, drink, or put on. Father says, “I got this.”

The peace of purpose instead of aimlessness. Instead of zig-zagging, tacking, chopping, and changing my way through life, never knowing what I should do, I now have a God-given purpose, aim, and significance.

The peace of obedience rather than rebellion. Disobedience results in chaos. Obedience results in harmony.

The peace of identity rather than confusion. In a world that cannot even tell the difference between male and female, I can have the peace of a God-given identity in Christ.

The peace of submission rather than control. When my kids, my work, or my church don’t go according to my plan, I don’t fight it but rather I hand it all over to God and submit to His much better plan.

The peace of optimism instead of pessimism. I look ahead and hope instead of panic, because God holds the future in His hands.

The peace of kingdom-focus rather than republic-obsession. When I am obsessed with politics I am stressed in my heart for the future of the nation. When I am obsessed with God’s kingdom I see that this kingdom will come and His will, not my will, will be done.

If you want more inner calm and tranquility, put more of these spiritual ingredients in the mix and ask the Holy Spirit to bake peace into your soul.

Blogs

4 Bigger Repercussions of the Bathroom Decree | TGC
Trevin Wax: “The latest developments have bigger repercussions that we also need to consider. We need to take a step back and look at what the White House guidelines signify about our culture.”

Potty Politics: Patience in the Midst of Legislative Turmoil | Reformed African American Network
John Richards, offers a legal analysis of the recently released Department of Justice guidance letter to public schools regarding transgender access to public school bathrooms.

I Feel Sad Sometimes, And It Doesn’t Go Away | The Blazing Center
“I’m not an expert on depression or dark nights of the soul, I’m just a guy who is trying to love Jesus when I can’t explain why I feel sad….To fight it, I usually try to think in six categories. Read them with yourself in mind, or perhaps to discover categories to help people around you. ”

A Confession of Liberal Intolerance – NYTimes.com
Surprising admission from Nicholas Kristof: “We progressives believe in diversity, and we want women, blacks, Latinos, gays and Muslims at the table – er, so long as they aren’t conservatives.”

Accountability for Pastors – 10 Reasons Why It Is Paramount
“Accountability for pastors and leaders matter because our influence leaves many in its wake. Our responsibility, whether we are ordained pastors, church employees, or lay church leaders, requires a level of accountability to protect ourselves and the flock we serve. Simply, accountability is that system we either create or submit to that keeps our darker nature in check as leaders.”

Kindle Books

Seeing Christ in all of Scripture by Westminster Seminary Faculty $2.99.

No Ordinary Marriage: Together for God’s Glory by Tim Savage $2.99.

A Quest for More by Paul Tripp $1.99.

The Silent Shepherd: The Care Comfort and Correction of the Holy Spirit by John Macarthur $2.99.

In his Review of Ecclesiastical History, John Newton provides a glimpse for us into his Christ-centered view of the Old Testament. To summarize Newton’s teaching:

• After Adam’s fall, both he and his posterity were corrupt, depraved, and sent into a perpetual state of misery.
• God immediately after Adam’s fall revealed the remedy to this desperate situation.
• The Lord Jesus was promised as the “seed of the woman.”  He would come as the great deliverer who would repair the breach made by sin and rescue God’s children from their ruin.
• In the OT, this revelation of a Savior was veiled under types and shadows.
• This revelation was like the coming dawn; it became brighter and brighter as the time of Christ’s manifestation drew near.
• Though this revelation was veiled in types and shadows, it was always sufficient to sustain the hopes, and purify the hearts of all the true worshippers of God in the OT.
• In this sense, all the patriarchs and prophets from the OT were Christians; their joy and trust centered in the promised Messiah.
• This was the same faith in the same Lord as ours as demonstrated in NT passages such as Romans 6; Galatians 3:16-17; and Hebrews 11.
• Throughout the OT, God’s grace always preserved a spiritual people whose faith in the Messiah to come taught them the true meaning of the Levitical law and all the other shadows and types.
• The future advent of the Messiah had been revealed from the beginning and a remnant in every generation had faith in that revelation.
• The OT saints beheld Christ’s day from afar off and rejoiced in His name (John 8:56; see also, 1  Peter 1:10-12; Hebrews 11:13).

Newton demonstrates that the time of the coming of Christ, after many centuries of shadows, types and prophecies, was not arbitrary. Rather, Christ came at the perfect time—a time that had been frequently predicted with increasing clarity and precision.

The coming of Christ was a wise and gracious appointment that put the truth of the depravity and helplessness of man, the mercy of God, and the truth of the Scriptures in the strongest possible light. It was at the time that most glorified Jesus Christ as the only remedy for sin and as the great Savior foretold through the ages that so many had already placed their faith upon.

So why, with Newton, should we be committed to seeking Christ in the Old Testament when He is so much more accessible in the New? Let me give you seven reasons to encourage you in this direction.

It strengthens our apologetics: Christ and His Apostles repeatedly used the revelation of Christ in the Old Testament to prove who Jesus was and why He came to this earth. They use the powerful argument that this Messiah was predicted with great frequency and precision long before His birth in Bethlehem. If we neglect this ammunition, we are defending our faith with one hand tied behind our back.

It encourages Christian devotion: When Christ showed himself in all the Scriptures to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the effect was “spiritual heartburn.” One reason why so much Christianity is so cold and dead is because we know so little of the spiritual warming that results from finding and enjoying Christ in the Old Testament.

It honors the whole Bible: If we neglect the Old Testament or never preach or teach Christ from the Old Testament, we are unwittingly undermining the Bible. It looks as if the New Testament is inspired by God and useful, but the Old Testament is really quite irrelevant or mistaken.

It exalts the sovereign wisdom of God: The most common response I’ve had when preaching Christ from the Old Testament is that it moves people to be in awe of God’s amazing wisdom and power in having the same plan in both Old and New Testaments, rather than Plan A in the Old and, when that didn’t work, Plan B in the New.

It unites us with Old Testament believers: If they were just theists who mixed up some faith with some sacrifices and some doing their best, we can have no fellowship with them. They are just a bunch of superstitious legalists. But if we understand that they were saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, then we are going to be comfortable sitting down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 8:11).

It gives us an extra teaching tool: Many pastors and teachers are drawn to doctrine that is presented in logical, systematic, and dogmatic form (e.g. the Pauline Epistles). Although the Old Testament teaches the same doctrines of grace as the New Testament, it does so with pictures, poems, songs, narratives, and ceremonies. These often reach and connect with many people who are left cold and untouched by all our structured arguments.

It has many helpful precedents: We’re not doing anything novel by seeking for and preaching Christ from the Old Testament. Apart from following in the footsteps of Jesus and the Apostles, we can also follow the example of great men of God in church history. Newton’s  Review of Ecclesiastical History is one such example of a work that provides a number of biblical presuppositions to help us approach the Old Testament in a Christ-centered way.

Blogs

Few Pastors Say Adultery Should Permanently Ban Them from the Pulpit | Bob Smietana, ChristianityToday.com
1,000 church leaders weigh in on how to investigate allegations and when the congregation should be told. I’m disappointed but not surprised by these findings.

Deuteronomy: The Great Commission of the Old Testament | James Faris, Gentle Reformation
“Christians often think of Deuteronomy as boring legal code – a second-giving or re-run of the law. Why then did New Testament authors find it their third favorite book of the Old Testament to quote?”

Three Reasons Why the Old Testament Still Matters Today [Giveaway] | Eric Geiger
Here are three ways the Old Testament still matters.

Failure | Darryl Dash
“Let’s start being honest with our failures. It’s a good antidote to image management, and a great door to creating safety and honesty for others.”

The Moral Revolutionaries Present Their Demands: Unconditional Surrender | AlbertMohler.com
“The terms of moral surrender have been delivered to us, and they are absolute and unconditional. Just ask Japan and Germany what that means.”

The Pastor’s Family and Friendships in the Church | Nick Kennicott, Reformation21 Blog
“Pastors and their family members need good friends, and many of those friends could be sitting in front of them each and every Lord’s Day.”

Real Men Love Strong Women | Paul Maxwell, Desiring God
Three reasons why strong women are as vital as strong men to God’s purpose in the church.

Kindle Deals

For your non-Kindle book buying needs please consider using Reformation Heritage Books in the USA and Reformed Book Services in Canada. Good value prices and shipping.

Spurgeon’s Sorrows: Realistic Hope for those who suffer from depression by Zack Eswine ($1.99)

John Knox: Fearless Faith by Steven J. Lawson ($1.99)

Changes That Heal: The Four Shifts That Make Everything Better…And That Everyone Can Do by Henry Cloud ($0.99)

Once an Arafat Man: The True Story of How a PLO Sniper Found a New Life by Tass Saada and Dean Merrill ($2.99)

Unashamed Workmen: How Expositors Prepare and Preach edited by Rhett Dodson ($3.99)

Video

Will This ‘Baby Box’ Save the Lives of Abandoned Newborns?

Today’s Christians live in a culture shaped by a worldview that values tolerance and denies absolute truth—a stark contrast to the biblical worldview. As pilgrims in this world, we face the challenge of living in a society that embraces wickedness more brazenly than ever before. In light of these threats, it is vital that the church bring “into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:5), standing firm on the truths of God’s Word. Please consider joining us, then, as we take up the important theme of the beauty and glory of the Christian worldview at the 2016 Puritan Reformed Conference, August 25–27. The church of Jesus Christ must remain steadfast in its conviction that the Lord has provided a better way for mankind, and that way starts and ends in Jesus Christ.

In addition to several PRTS faculty speakers, our guest speakers will include Dr. Derek Thomas, Dr. Brian Cosby, and Dr. Charles Barrett. If you want to better understand how to live in this world but not be of it, you will not want to miss this year’s conference.

Moe details and online booking here.

Professor of Biblical Studies

Position focus: Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary (PRTS) is seeking a full-time Professor of Biblical Studies. In collaboration with the President, Academic Dean, Faculty, and Director of the Doctoral Program, the person filling this position will help assist and facilitate the PhD program in Biblical Studies at PRTS.

The person filling this position will contribute to the academic and spiritual formation of doctoral students, as well as international collaborative research projects and scholarly publications. This position is a unique opportunity to collaborate with a dedicated team consisting of the current faculty, a variety of adjunct professors and instructors, research institutes, and the Director of the Doctoral Program in order to help build a blended-learning doctoral program. The person filling this position will not only be extensively involved in teaching and dissertation supervision, but is also expected to participate in academic conferences, departmental planning, committee work, and a local expression of Christ’s church.

Essential duties: 1) Teaching PhD and ThM-level graduate courses; 2) supervising or co-supervising doctoral dissertations; 3) leading or facilitating research projects; 4) producing scholarly publications; 5) participating actively in the church and international academy.

Required education and experience: 1) Pastoral and preaching experience; 2) holding an appropriate PhD degree from an accredited school; 3) expertise in the original languages of Scripture; 4) experience in teaching, research, and publications; 5) experience in supervising theses and dissertations; 6) demonstrated experience of working independently and collaboratively with varied groups (faculty, researchers, etc.) within an international organization; 7) knowledge of current developments in digital research, distance education, and online publications; 8) demonstrated knowledge of faculty committee work.

Required ethos: Committed in doctrine and practice for the preparation of students to serve Christ and his church through biblical, experiential, and practical ministry. Formal subscription to the Reformed Standards of the Three Forms of Unity and the Westminster Standards.

Inquiries and CVs are to be directed to Dr. Michael Barrett, VP for Academic Affairs, at Michael.barrett@prts.edu.

Video Production and Editor

Position: Part time @ 20 hours per week. Potential for full-time employment.

Goal of Position: To assist director of distance learning and director of marketing and development in the creation of professional quality video content for PRTS distance learning classes and marketing efforts.

General Responsibilities

• Assist Director of Distance Learning in developing and designing instructional videos for Seminary courses.
• Assist Director of Marketing and Development in the creation of video content for promotion of the seminary and its activities.
• Assist Director of Technology with acquiring and maintaining necessary equipment and software for video production.
• Develop and create shot lists for distance learning classes and marketing initiatives.
• Develop and create unique video or audio content to promote the goals and visions of Puritan Seminary.
• Prepare scripts for autocue and slides for PowerPoint or Keynote.
• Set up, film and edit video for distance learning and marketing initiatives.
• Catalog, describe, and redundantly store complete video projects.
• Maintain catalog of video projects.
• Lead faculty and appropriate staff with scheduling video recording sessions.
• Upload video and/or audio for content distribution.
• Become part of the PRTS team subscribing to her vision and goals.

Reports to: Director of Technology and Faculty Liaison

Requirements:

• Knowledge and experience in the use of video and audio equipment
• Knowledge and experience with studio lighting
• Knowledge and experience with Adobe Creative Studio video production applications (Premier Pro, After Effects, and Audition)
• The ability to work within tight deadlines.
• Agreement with and submission to PRTS vision and policies.

Send resume with work history to Henk Kleyn, VP for Operations henk.kleyn@prts.edu by June 10, 2016 for consideration.