Ben Zornes

Living and Dying to Show the Preciousness of Christ

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Sweeter Than Honey

Sweeter Than Honey

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I recently came across this little factoid about honey, that it is considered to have an eternal shelf-life. In fact, some archaeologists3432013868_b9f1e9c84a have found pots of honey that are thousands of years old in ancient Egyptian tombs, and it is still edible!! This got me to thinking, and it led me to some other interesting facts about mankind’s first source of sweetener.

Some might call honey a sort of miracle food. It just doesn’t go bad. And here’s why: though sugar is a classic breeding ground for spoiling bacteria and organisms, the acidity which gives honey its signature flavor also acts to repel any would-be spoiling agent. In essence, though bacteria would love to make its home in and destroy honey, the honey has a defense mechanism so that it can last, in a sense, forever.

Nutritionists will tell you that honey is one of the best energy boosts for the body. In our day of energy drinks, and power bars, we would actually do better to eat a bowlful of honey. Whereas most sugary treats give a short boost and then a crash, honey gives a boost and––because of the protein in it––is able to sustain the boost. [Read more…] about Sweeter Than Honey

I Pierced the Savior Through

I Pierced the Savior Through

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Here is a hymn text that ought to bring tears of repentance and joy-filled gratitude to well up within the saint and brim over into praise! Grateful for men like Berridge who weave profound words together into rich poetic text to arouse our passions and affect our souls! Enjoy!

1 What a doleful voice I hear!
What a garden-scene is there!
What a frightful, ghastly flood!
Jesus weltering in his blood!

2 Groaning on the ground he lies;
Seems a slaughtered sacrifice!
Tells me, with a feeble breath,
“Sorrowful, yea, unto death!”

3 [How his eyes astonished are!hymn 11.07.14
Sure they witness conflict near!
On his face what sadness dwells!
Sure he feels a thousand hells!]

4 O my Jesus, let me know
What has brought this heavy woe;
Swords are piercing through thy heart;
Whence arose the torturing smart?

5 “Sinner, thou hast done the deed;
Thou hast made the Saviour bleed!
Justice drew its sword on me!
Pierced my heart to pass by thee!

6 “Now I take the deadly cup;
All its dregs am drinking up;
Read my anguish in my gore;
Look, and pierce my heart no more.”

7 O thou bleeding love divine,
What are other loves to thine?
Theirs a drop, and thine a sea,
Ever full, and ever free!

8 If I loved my Lord before,
I would love him ten times more;
Drop into his sea outright,
Lose myself in Jesus quite.

Shaking Hell’s Gates

Shaking Hell’s Gates

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In the Zornes’ home, we have begun the tradition of reading a few hymns after dinner. It has become a rather delightful exercise. blogpost 10.29.14While Marlé has not yet learned to appreciate the profundity which daddy reads, it is so important to me as a father that my children grow up surrounded by the rich heritage of our faith. This hymn, by the illustrious Isaac Watts, is one that stood out to me. Imagine, as a child, growing up understanding that, by being a part of God’s people, you’re on the winning team. One of the saddest aspects of the modern Church’s condition is that we act as if we are being licked on the playing field and having it handed to us. In reality, we are the team that has the All-star player, who single handedly wiped the floor with the opposing team’s best player (making him look like a scrawny pip-squeak).

If we are to see any change in this culture, we must begin walking with the authority that is bequeathed to us by our Captain and our King! This alone will shake the gates of hell. It is time we begin singing such songs once more, and raising our children to walk with a confidence in the victory of Jesus Christ!

1    I sing my Saviour’s wondrous death;
He conquered when he fell.
“’Tis finished!” said his dying breath,
And shook the gates of hell. [Read more…] about Shaking Hell’s Gates

Tangled in the Blinds

Tangled in the Blinds

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With the recent high-profile domestic abuse, and sexual exploitation cases in the news, it is interesting to watch moral relativists try to find a reason why delivering a knock-out punch to your fiancé in an elevator is wrong. It is sort of like watching this:

No matter how hard they try, they can’t seem to free themselves from the tangle of relativism that they have got themselves in. Our culture is rampantly seeking to do away with gender roles and at the same time decry the exploitation and objectification of women. It moans about abuse of women, but refuses to acknowledge that relativism has no clear definition for what a woman is. Is it any wonder that in doing away with biblical gender identity, we have created a monster that doesn’t know the difference between a woman and a piece of meat? [Read more…] about Tangled in the Blinds

Sinking like a Stone

Sinking like a Stone

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When a nation, church, family or individual forsake God’s holy commandments there are only two options: continue in rebellion orblogpost 10.15.14 repent. Rebellion is a whole lot easier, just like it is easier for a stone to sink into water. Repentance, on the other hand, runs contrary to our sinful nature and we’d much rather keep sinking like a stone, because it is all we’ve ever known. However, the only rescue from the calamity that is sure to come when either an individual or organization is walking in rebellion to God’s law is repentance.

Repentance, we must understand, is not a “once-off” thing. It is a discipline of soul. Further, we must remember that it is a proof of God’s goodness and kindness towards us (Rom. 2:4). We, as Christians, often think that we repent once (at some alter, with tears streaming down our cheeks) and then we are handy-dandy from then on out. However, God, in sanctifying you, will lovingly bring you to a deeper understanding of Himself, and in coming to understand Him we come to understand how far we’ve fallen from His likeness. When we realize how out of whack we are, the godly response is repentance.  [Read more…] about Sinking like a Stone

Returning to the Veil

Returning to the Veil

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I’ve had a couple run-ins recently with a theological movement that goes by numerous names, but in essence is a push to return toblogpost 10.14.14 the Hebrew holiness laws, festivals, and in some cases even sacrifices. In its more docile form its adherents love to use the Hebrew names for God and Jesus, “Yahweh/Yah”, “Yeshua/Massiach” . . . in its more extreme forms it believes that true holiness and purity can ONLY be found by obeying the Hebrew laws and celebrating the feasts and festivals of the Jews. There are sects of this movement that teach that the crucifixion of Jesus is only a place holder until a Red Heifer can once more be sacrificed in the temple.

Without getting into the nitty gritty, I just wanted to jot down a handful of thoughts in regards to how, as Christians, we ought to understand our relationship to the Hebrew laws, customs, etc. I’ve written on this before, and if you have a hankering for a bit lengthier of a discussion on this you can read it here.  [Read more…] about Returning to the Veil

Ben’s First Book

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Ben wrote a collection of 11 meditations on the Fruit of the Spirit for the Ellerslie Alumni Newsletter! Now it is compiled into Ben’s first (of many) book!! His opus magnum is still in the works. This would be a wonderful way to get to know what I’m most passionate about: experiential Christianity that is grounded firmly upon the truth of the Word of God. If we are truly born of God, He will produce His nature within us. It would be helpful to our souls to know what His nature looks like, biblically. If you (or someone you know) are thirsty for a greater likeness to Christ in your daily life, this would be a great augment to your life and pursuit of Christ. Buy two and give one to a friend!

Ben Zornes