PhoenixPreacher

John MacArthur’s annual Shepherds Conference is in full swing with this this years gathering being called an “Inerrancy Summit”.

There was a time when I would have cared.

I used to faithfully sign up for the online versions of the conference and I bought the recordings of every session.

Those days are over.

While I agree with most, if not all of the doctrine being expounded in these conferences I find it too easy to love the doctrine more than people…and find it too easy to scorn the brethren who don’t agree.

Loving doctrine more than loving people means that you won’t love people who veer (however minimally) from your doctrines.

1 John 2:11 is inerrant too.

Thus, I’ll avoid MacArthur and his echo chamber full of supporters lest I forget.

With my usual flare for hypocrisy, I’ll now hate on some brethren.

The “Christian” press in this country are not a “press” at all, but a bunch of candy ass hirelings.

The only real reporting on abuse in the church is being done by bloggers, not by the paid “journalists”.

If a story gets big enough the hirelings will sanitize and publish it.

They are a fat, gutless, lot who are owned by their advertisers…some of whom they should be investigating rather than profiting from.

If the “Christian Post” was printed on paper, I’d stack it in the bathroom and save on Charmin.

Thank you, I feel better now.

When you see someone on Facebook talking about “cleaning up their friends list” what they’re really saying is “I’m not getting nearly the attention I want from this list”…

Being an “entrepreneur” is a lot like being unemployed with a different title…

Wenatchee the Hatchet has some observations on recent articles blaming Driscoll’s demise on bloggers…

Who watches over your pastor?

The difference between outrage and accountability…

Phil and I discuss his conversation with a King James Only adherent that led to a discussion about limited atonement. This could only happen on Calvin’s Corner.

Download the mp3

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

(Ephesians 1:1–2 ESV)

I’m starting a study tonight in our church on the book of Ephesians.

I thought perhaps some would like to study along with us.

We’ll see how it goes…

Don’t Skip the Salutation! 

Our study opens with a greeting from Paul to his readers.

We usually don’t make much of these verses, because, well, they’re just a greeting.

Don’t do that…there’s gold here.

Paul isn’t just delivering a greeting from himself but also “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”.

The Father and the Son say “grace to you and peace”.

Let me encourage you to personalize this and “make your own application”.

If Jesus were to appear before you where you are right now the first things He would speak to you are words of grace and peace.

No matter where you think you are spiritually, no matter how distant God seems…that’s the message…He brings you grace and peace.

Grace…for all those sins that you think separate you from the love of God.

Peace… God is not mad at you.

Whenever you think about God, those are the places you should start from and end at.

You want to believe that, but you also read… the greeting was for the “faithful in Christ Jesus”.

You aren’t very faithful.

Neither am I.

The part you need to understand is that if you’re “in Christ”, you’re counted faithful…because He was faithful in your place.

Now, that’s good news…and it’s just the beginning.

Next week we’ll talk about being “in Christ”.

Grace and peace to you, my friends.

Phil Naessens informed me that our podcast, “Calvin’s Corner” has passed 100,000 downloads.

Thank you all for listening… we enjoy doing the program and appreciate your feedback.

The blog is still one of the top rated Christian sites in the world as well…all thanks to our readers.

Thanks as well to you folks who use the Amazon links to make your purchases.

A small percent comes back to me and it helps out a lot.

Support our advertisers…especially when they are part of the online community.

EricL features his books and services up on the top right side of the blog and helps me often with our Linkathon.

I’m just getting started building a book of business with Sellstrom Global Shipping so every thing, large or small helps keep us going until we get on our feet.

You can also make direct donations via PayPal using the “donate” button on the top left side of the site.

We covet your continued prayers and participation for what we do here.

I can always be reached at phoenixpreacher@gmail.com with your questions or concerns.

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It was the standing on my face with her considerable full weight on her front paws while yowling that finally made me get up and feed her.

I went to bed early last night, the cares of the world and the care of this blog having sent my blood pressure into a place it ought not be.

Too much worry and too much stress had taken it’s toll.

I prayed a brief prayer and then escaped from it all under an electric blanket.

Evidently (the evidence would be an empty bowl) I had neglected to completely fill Miss Kitty’s food dish before I retired for the evening.

Thus, for three solid hours beginning at 4:30 AM, she sought my intervention to remedy this matter.

She got up on the bed, she got as close as possible, and she yowled.

Loudly.

Every time I changed positions, fluffed my pillow, or otherwise showed a sign of life she would yowl,then jump down to her bowl.

I stayed in bed.

She would then jump back up on the bed, get next to me, and wait for me to move again.

Over and over again.

She did so for three hours… which to a hungry cat is like three days, or three years, or some very long measurement of cat time.

Her persistence was amazing.

She did not make her need known and fall asleep.

She did not go to the neighbors and tell them her need.

She did not attempt to find and open a pouch of Whiskas on her own.

She knew who her provider is and she would petition him until her need was met or the need would not be met.

She knew her provider better than that.

She has been fed here before, she would be fed here again, and she wasn’t leaving me alone until she was fed now.

When I decided to open my eyes she placed her full weight on her front paws on my face and let forth a howl that said she’d been waiting long enough.

I agreed…and got up and gave her what she needed.

For her persistence, I even sprinkled some cat treats on her food.

Oddly enough, after gobbling it all down, she still yowled.

She wanted some lap time too.

She got it.

I’ll make sure the dish is full tonight.

Make your own application…