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Attempts at Honesty

Reflections on the interplay of the Bible and Culture

  • Westminster Shorter Catechism Series
  • Sermon on the Mount Series
Home Archives for blessing

Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places?

Posted on March 6, 2013 Written by Mark McIntyre 6 Comments

Blessing in the Heavenlies

When I read this verse, there is something that haunts me. Paul tells me that I have been blessed with every spiritual blessing. The verb is past tense, so it has already happened. Why then do I often feel so unblessed?

Filed Under: Bible Reflection Tagged With: blessing, heavenlies, heavens

Miles Stanford on Appropriating Blessing

Posted on January 17, 2013 Written by Mark McIntyre 4 Comments

Miles Stanford

Too often we try to earn God’s blessing when it has already been granted. Miles Stanford warns leaders against laying conditions for blessing on the church.

Filed Under: Quotation Tagged With: blessing, Green Letters, Stanford

The blessing of mourning – Matthew 5:4

Posted on November 18, 2011 Written by Mark McIntyre Leave a Comment

#5 in the Sermon on the Mount Series Jesus said this about mourning: “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4 (NIV) In the introduction to his book The Problem of Pain, C. S. Lewis writes: “When Mr. Ashley Sampson suggested to me the writing of this book, I asked leave […]

Filed Under: Bible Reflection Tagged With: blessed, blessing, Sin

The blessing of being poor (in spirit) – Matthew 5:3

Posted on November 6, 2011 Written by Mark McIntyre 4 Comments

Matthew 5:3 reads: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (NASB) One must assume that Jesus knew what he was doing when he put this Beatitude first in the list. Blessed are the poor in Spirit. Luke’s record shortens this saying to simply, “blessed are you who are poor” […]

Filed Under: Bible Reflection Tagged With: blessed, blessing, Heaven, kingdom, mount, resources, sermon

Introduction to the Beatitudes – Sermon on the Mount #3

Posted on November 2, 2011 Written by Mark McIntyre Leave a Comment

Blessed

Before examining the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-11, it would be helpful to offer a few words on the meaning of the word translated “blessed” in our English Bibles. The word in the original is makarios, which in Homer denoted the “transcendent happiness of a life beyond care, labor and death.” (Theological Dictionary of the New […]

Filed Under: Bible Reflection Tagged With: Beatitude, blessing, mount, sermon

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6 Questions to Ask Before Presuming on Grace

I have had a few discussions lately with people that have struggled with the tension between law and grace. This is not a new question, and the Bible does have some things to say to us as we work out how to navigate through this tension. There are many issues on which the Bible is […]

Tune my heart . . .

It is precisely because Jesus died and rose again that I can have hope to be other than I am. For what could I pray if there was no hope that my sin has been conquered? For what could I pray if Jesus did not rise and demonstrate that sin and death are vanquished? What hope have I without the Cross and the empty tomb?

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Social media and the need for validation

I read a where a social media guru recently said something to the effect of, “there are two types of people involved in social media, those who want more followers and those who are lying about it.” With the advent of social media, there is a danger in finding our validation in follower counts. Where should our validation come from?

The Minimalist’s Path to Spirituality

Minimalism is not an encouragement to renounce life as you know it and live out your days as a pauper. It is a call to embrace that which you need to survive comfortably and to release yourself from the rest.

Moses

Finding Leaders As Good As Moses

I have read a lot of self help articles about being a good leader. But most of them have it all wrong. Why can I say that? It is because most people have a wrong view of what it takes to become a leader.

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