By James Law, Pastor First Baptist Church Gonzales Do you have an enemy? One who has expressed great hatred toward you? Like the Apostle Paul, do you have an Alexander the coppersmith in your life who is committed to your misery (2 Timothy 4:14)? If you do, maybe you are struggling with what obedience to Christ looks like in the face of such adversity. Charles H. Spurgeon once gave the following counsel, “Get a friend to tell you your faults, or better still, welcome an enemy who will watch you keenly and sting you savagely. What a blessing such an irritating critic will be to a wise man, what an intolerable nuisance to a fool! “ At first glance this doesn’t sit well. Spurgeon sounds like a masochist who enjoys arming his enemies in order for them to inflict personal pain. This counsel seems on its head because enemies are those we want removed from our lives. However, we can mistakenly think that enemies are solely the work of the devil, when in reality they come from God’s gracious hand to show us our sin, teach us humility, and drive us to seek the face of God. God uses enemies in a “Romans 8:28 fashion” for the purpose of conforming us into the image of the One who has many … [Read more...]
The Mideast: What are uprisings all about?
By Mike Edens, Professor of Theology and Islamic Studies at NOBTS EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second but last of a three-part exploration of events in the Middle East by Mike Edens, professor of theology and Islamic studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and an emeritus missionary who served 25 years in the Middle East with Southern Baptists’ International Mission Board. NEW ORLEANS (BP) – ”What are the uprisings all about?” This question regarding the Arab world, posed in a theology class I have been teaching in a Southern Baptist church, is complex enough and entails somewhat of a guess on my part. But we need to start with a different question: What is God up to in the Mideast and North Africa? We believe that the God of the Bible is the author of all humanity, composed of our families, nations, cultures and history. He currently is bringing all things to the proper conclusion according to His judgment and timing. God is working in various ways to reveal Himself and His will to all people primarily through His church, the Bible and His presence – the Holy Spirit. Also, He increases in every person a hunger which can only be satisfied by a relationship … [Read more...]
Questions We’ve Pondered
By Archie England, Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at NOBTS Question: How did Isaiah perceive the future Messiah and the (messianic) age that he would inaugurate? Archie England responds: Following the powerful portraits of “the servant of the Lord” (Isaiah 42-53), Isaiah drives forward his message of comfort and hope (Isaiah 40). Though the righteous are perishing (Isaiah 57), all they must do is “come, seek, call (upon the Lord), and live righteously” (Isaiah 55:1,6; 56:1f) because the mighty arm of God is bringing salvation (Isaiah 59:1,15-20). Even the nations will witness this light of God (Isaiah 60) and be blessed by the outpouring of His Spirit (Isaiah 61), which Jesus applied to himself, (Luke 4:18f). What might be the name given to this One sent from God? Well, in Isaiah 2 He’s implicitly the day of reckoning; in Isaiah 4, the branch of the Lord; and in Isaiah 5, the well-beloved tending his vineyard. In Isaiah 7, he’s revealed as the virgin-born child named Immanuel; in Isaiah 9, the young son who governs and rules from David’s throne, bearing four divine names: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. In Isaiah 11, he’s both “the shoot … [Read more...]
2011 Mid-Year Report of Cooperation
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2011 Mid-Year Report of Cooperation 2
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2011 Mid-Year Report of Cooperation 3
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2011 Mid-Year Report of Cooperation 4
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2011 Mid-Year Report of Cooperation 5
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2011 Mid-Year Report of Cooperation 6
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Couple utilizes coffeehouse to help spread the Gospel
[img_assist|nid=7480|title=Hebert's Coffeehouse|desc=Mark Hebert and his wife Terry – on leave from their responsibilities with the International Mission Board in Central Asia – use Hebert’s Coffeehouse in Baton Rouge both as a means of making money and also as a way of sharing the Gospel with others while providing them with coffee.|link=none|align=right|width=640|height=480]By Quinn Lavespere, Message Summer Staff Writer BATON ROUGE – Mark Hebert and his wife Terry have made the Gospel of Jesus Christ tasteful in more ways than one. The couple – on leave from their responsibilities with the International Mission Board in Central Asia – use Hebert’s Coffeehouse in Baton Rouge both as a means of making money and also as a way of sharing the Gospel with others while providing them with delicious coffee. “We want people to come in here and enjoy themselves,” Mark Hebert said. “At the same time, we feel it necessary to tell them about Jesus.” The idea for the coffeehouse first occurred to the Heberts about four or five years ago, Mark Hebert said. “We started thinking about what we’d do once we moved back from overseas,” Hebert said. “About three years ago, I … [Read more...]