Ben Zornes

Living and Dying to Show the Preciousness of Christ

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Ben Zornes

Aiming Higher

Aiming Higher

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When Evangelical Christians turn on the TV, check their Facebook, or read the news, a wagging of the head is likely becoming a more frequent response. We read about the latest antics of some pop-star and wonder how such an innocent young man with swooshy hair, a properly auto-tuned voice, the high pitched squeals of adoration from millions of 14 year old girls, and his trademark face on lunch-boxes, pillow cases, and toothbrushes could turn into such a confused individual. How could this have happened?! We hear about Washington gridlock, where one party gets up in arms because the other party wants to reduce a food stamps program by $8 billion. The accusation is that the latter party hates the poor, wants them to starve, and probably kicked a puppy earlier in the day. However, what we fail to note is that both parties are, in fact, proposing increasing the spending on food stamps from what it is currently; only, one party doesn’t want to increase quite as much as the other! What scoundrels! Our magazines, movies, music and media are full of endless stories of rape, divorce, violence, infidelity, irresponsibility, and this doesn’t only describe low-income communities; this deterioration of society is from the top down. [Read more…] about Aiming Higher

He Is

He Is

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Leviticus 26 (Part 3)

The Unending Mercy of God

David tells us in Psalms 62:12, that, “Also unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.” Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that God would say, through Moses, in Leviticus 26 that despite all the rebellion of the Israelites, “If they shall confess their iniquity … Then will I remember my covenant (Leviticus 26:40a, 42a).”
We often treat God as if He is a vegetable in those “slap-chop” gizmos. We throw Him in, and slice and dice and deal with

Photo Credit: lrargerich via Compfight cc
Photo Credit: lrargerich via Compfight cc

His attributes as separate entities; rather than as a composite whole. God is not His attributes; He is. All that He is, He always will be, and always has been! Thus, though we read in this chapter of the horrendous crimes which the people of Israel would eventually commit (i.e. walking away from the covenant, worshipping idols, and the subsequent curses), there is a enveloping sense that God will remain changeless through it all. God makes it clear what His action will be in regards to either obeying or disobeying the covenant He gives. For obedience He will give blessing, for rebellion He will resist, oppose, and bring a curse.
The entire history of Israel is one of a colossal failure on the part of man. The Israelites broke the covenant surprisingly quickly. Yet, through it all God extends this Gospel promise: “If they shall confess their iniquity … Then will I remember my covenant (Leviticus 26:40a, 42a).” It is not as if their confessing jars God’s memory, but rather, their repentance and returning will discover unto them the fact that God is not slack in keeping His promise (2 Pet. 3:9).

[Read more…] about He Is

The Hardened Heavens

The Hardened Heavens

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Leviticus 26 (Part 2)

The Punishment for Unbelief

Continuing on in Leviticus 26, we notice a dramatic shift from the overwhelming blessings that God desires to pour out upon those that keep the covenant. The blessings could be split into three categories:

  1. The blessing of rain from the heavens resulting in a miraculous and abundant harvest. The Christian cannot make the heavens rain, but in keeping the covenant of grace, God has promised to open heaven’s windows and provide a bountiful harvest of the fruit of His Spirit.
  2. The blessing of a conquering and overcoming of any evil beast or any multitude of the enemy. The Christian cannot overwhelm the powers of this world or the works of Satan, but through our God we shall do valiantly. This blessing is a blessing regarding the battle against the enemy.
  3. The final category is the overflowing barns. God fills the Christian brim-full so that they have “strength to spare,” so to speak.

[Read more…] about The Hardened Heavens

Edwards on Neglecting So Great a Salvation

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Did Christ labour so hard, and suffer so much to procure this salvation, and is it not worth the while for you to be at some labour in seeking it? Did our salvation lie with such weight on the mind of Christ, as to induce him to become man, to suffer even death itself, in order to procure it? And is it not worth the while for you, who need this salvation, and must perish eternally without it, to take earnest pains to obtain an interest in it after it is procured, and all things are ready?

~~~Jonathan Edwards

Eating the Old Store

Eating the Old Store

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Leviticus 26 (Part 1)

Leviticus 26 is a profound chapter full of convicting truths. In essence God speaks to the people of Israel and delineates a series of “if/thens.” The first section deals with the “if/then” of walking in God’s paths, keeping his commandments and doing them, and the subsequent blessings that God would pour out:

Leviticus 26:3 – If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them; Then . . .

The second half of the chapter has statements like this:

Leviticus 26:14-15 18, 21, 23, 27-28

But if ye will not hearken unto me, and will not do all these commandments; And if ye shall despise my statutes, or if your soul abhor my judgments, so that ye will not do all my commandments, but that ye break my covenant: [then] . . .  [Read more…] about Eating the Old Store

When Feminism Wins

When Feminism Wins

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As the assertion goes, Christianity oppresses women. However, Christianity, as based upon the Bible, is not oppressive of females, in fact it is far more protective of women than any other religion/worldview in existence. I give Leviticus 20 as Exhibit #1. Note that the commands of this chapter all deal with sexual deviancy (and it is one kinky can of worms). Each command centers around a key statement: “If a man (insert sexual deviancy here).” Levitical law places the onus on MEN for sexual and gender confusion. If a man seduces a women, or he has a strange attraction to his uncle’s wife, his father’s daughter, his employee, etc. the man takes the main blame.  It is clear that God places the responsibility for sexual clarity directly on the broad shoulders of men.  [Read more…] about When Feminism Wins

Ben Zornes