Ben Zornes

Living and Dying to Show the Preciousness of Christ

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A Gem to Light the Shadows

A Gem to Light the Shadows

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When we face sorrow and difficulty, what is our initial reaction? Most of us turn to our own resources and ply our mental energy to its utter limit, seeking how to finagle out of the pain or difficulty. Anxiety is a form of unbelief. It is trusting in ourselves thinking that if we worry long enough and hard enough we can change black hair to white (Matt. 5:36). True Christianity must rest upon the peace Christ alone brings. He is a friend that cannot fail. I stumbled across this poem, and found it to be a precious gem to light the shadows of our earthly pilgrimage. I hope it encourages you, no matter if the sun is at its zenith, or if it is blackest midnight.

Courtesy of Peter Rupp
Courtesy of Peter Rupp

 

J. Swain
    Christ a True Friend. Prov. 17. 17; 18. 24
    1    A Friend there is, your voices join,
            Ye saints, to praise his name,
        Whose truth and kindness are divine,
            Whose love’s a constant flame.

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Summer Advice for Sons

Summer Advice for Sons

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Summer Advice for Sonslightstock_57558_xsmall_user_5740715

(and the rest of us too)

Though I do not yet have sons, one of my desires is to help my sons (should God grant them to me), as well as other young men navigate the issue of how the Bible would have them use their sexuality, and how they ought to interact with women (no matter what she is wearing, or . . . not wearing).  Our egalitarian society furrows its brow and wrinkles its nose at any attempt to establish Biblical notions and mindsets, especially when it comes to gender. Women should be free to do whatever they want and dress however they want, without the tyranny of patriarchalism breathing down their necks. In their mind, a woman should be free to wear a slinky, and not have to worry in the slightest about having the pulse of men quicken. [Read more…] about Summer Advice for Sons

Musings on Peter’s List of Virtues

Musings on Peter’s List of Virtues

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Here are some recent thoughts that I jotted down for a devotional I recently gave at Ellerslie. Just some brief observations of the 8 virtues which Peter lists, which ought to be in us and abounding . . .

2 Peter 1:5-7

And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness agape.

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We must begin by furnishing a place for God to display His attributes. One must begin with faith, which alone accesses the benefits of God’s nature, faith then procures the oomph of virtue which puts an engine in our vehicle. The first of the virtues added to faith and virtue is knowledge; in essence you must have a compass directing you to your destination. For the Christian, the knowledge which our compass and our map brings us does not lead us merely to a place, but to a person; our destination is Christ. Temperance is like train tracks for the vehicle, and it guides this knowledge of our destination and it governs it, so that no matter what short-cuts present themselves (or how alluring those short-cuts may seem), the soul takes the path that God has ordained.

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The Jello Just Won’t Stay Put

The Jello Just Won’t Stay Put

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With the recent mass shooting out in California, we are certain to have a whole new flurry of discussions on gun control, bullying, anti-depressants, and the role of government. Brace yourselves, it’ll be a fun ride on the moral relativism express. Sadly, these families are in the midst of grieving, and yet because of the high profile nature of this crime it will become a topic that is discussed publicly for quite a while. I, however,  would like to take this occasion and ask some questions out loud . . . and answer them the way our murky minded morality likely would:

“Why are these murders wrong?”OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

“Well, because, you know, they hurt someone else.” [Read more…] about The Jello Just Won’t Stay Put

The Prayer of the Minor Prophet

The Prayer of the Minor Prophet

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I forget where I first discovered this precious gem from A.W. Tozer. But it has become a beloved reminder of the attitude and 14058213857_2039f5cd8c_zdisposition which we, as believers, ought to live with. I pray that it inspires you towards a greater humility of soul, and a greater boldness for God. 

The Prayer of the Minor Prophet

A.W. Tozer

Oh Lord, I have heard Your voice, and was afraid. You have called me to an awesome task in a grave and perilous hour. You are about to shake all nations, and the Earth, and also Heaven, that the things that cannot be shaken may remain.
Oh Lord, my Lord, you have stooped to honor me to be your servant. No man takes this honor upon himself, save he that was called by God, as was Aaron. You have ordained me, Your messenger to them that are stubborn of heart and hard of hearing. They have rejected You, the Master, and it is not to be expected that they will receive me, the servant. [Read more…] about The Prayer of the Minor Prophet

It Was That Good!

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A History of the Work of RedemptionA History of the Work of Redemption by Jonathan Edwards
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rarely have I read a book and thought that it was a book that everyone, especially Christians, ought to read and have in their bookshelf. This one, however, quickly worked its way onto my list of all-time favorites. This is Edwards at his finest; thorough, logical flow, engaging, and above all else saturated with Christ. I can honestly say that this book is one of the most personally impacting books I’ve ever read, and I will likely be recommending it, and using it as a resource until my dying day.
I have always loved history, and I am so grateful for Edwards attempt to (in as concise a way as possible) outline God’s redemptive purposes as they were carried on through history. If ever I were to teach a course on Christian History this would likely be textbook for the class.
Although some may differ with Edwards eschatological views, I still think that this book would be a rich blessing to every Christian. If nothing else it drives one to faithfully turn to the word of God as the guiding light (which is how the book concludes, with a rousing survey of how we can trace God’s redemptive designs throughout history precisely because we have the Bible). I would give this 7 stars out of 5 . . . it is that good!

View all my reviews

Not Going Away

Not Going Away

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Yesterday at Ellerslie, I sat at a lunch table with some of the students and they had just watched the documentary “Blood Money,” Marlé-55which exposes the financial greed at the back of the whole abortion mill. One of the students asked, “So what do we do practically, so that it isn’t just a rush of emotion, but that we actually see a change on this issue?” I thought it was a great question and, as I’ve thought a bit more about it, here’s my expanded answer.

The “pro-life” tent is a big tent, with many different faiths and creeds underneath it. I have no issue linking arms with like-minded conservatives who desire to see this atrocity abolished; however, for the Christian, this issue is more than just a political issue. This is an idolatry issue, at its heart. Molech has become the god of our nation, and those who are faithful to Jesus Christ, must recognize the apostasy at the root of the abortion discussion. So, here are a few things I think we need to do and remember.
First, we need to adopt the attitude which William Wilberforce had towards the abolition of the slave trade and apply it to abortion. In short, without fail he brought a bill before Parliament year in and year out until he succeeded in overthrowing the British slave trade. In essence, we need to say, “We are not going away on this issue.”
Now, I’d like to address different groups and what they ought to be doing. [Read more…] about Not Going Away

Ben Zornes