The Quotable Round-Up # 64

Photo by Nonsap Visuals on Unsplash

Hey people heres your favorite post. Hot and fresh quotes from the books “Kept for Jesus ” by  Sam Storms “Young, Restless and Reformed” by Collin Hansen and “Discerning Truth” by Dr. Jason Lisle . If you enjoyed these quotes, please buy the books at your nearest Christian bookstore or on Amazon. Feel free to share this post over your social media. God bless you and enjoy your week!

“Our security is ultimately dependent on God’s character and commitment, not on ours. People say, “If we change, we lose our salvation.” No. We can’t lose it, not because we can’t change, but because God can’t.” — Sam Storms

“To deny eternal security means the possibility exists that some who come to the Son will in fact be cast out. It means the possibility exists that the will of the Father and of the Son that all born-again believers be raised up on the last day will not, in fact, be fulfilled. It means that although Jesus is determined to ensure that every born-again Christian is fully and finally saved, the possibility exists that every born-again Christian might be fully and finally damned for eternity. Are you prepared to say that?”– Sam Storms

“It’s a fallacy that just shouldn’t happen — but it does all the time. The straw-man fallacy is when a person misrepresents his opponent’s position and then proceeds to refute that misrepresentation (i.e., the “straw man”) rather than what his opponent actually claims.” — Dr. Jason Lisle

“The key is to remember that an argument should be based on its merit, not on the alleged character defects or the circumstances of the person making the argument.”– Dr. Jason Lisle

“In the abusive ad hominem, the critic attacks his opponent’s character or insults him in an attempt to discredit him in the eyes of the audience. This tactic is common in politics, and it may psychologically sway people. However, it is logically fallacious because a person’s character (or lack thereof) is logically irrelevant to the validity of his argument. Even if the critic’s negative claims about his opponent are true (e.g., he really is a draft-dodger, or he really did spend time in jail), this has no bearing on the position he is advocating.” — Dr. Jason Lisle

“There is a place for emotional language. After all, language has other purposes than to make logical arguments. It can be used to inform, to question, to command, and to evoke. However, when people try to evoke an emotional response to persuade others of a point that is logically questionable, the fallacy of the question-begging epithet is committed.”– Dr. Jason Lisle

“The evidence speaks for itself.” This expression is quite common, but when used as part of an argument, it is the fallacy of reification. Evidence does not speak at all. Evidence is a concept: the name we give to a body of facts that we believe to be consistent with a particular point of view. People draw conclusions about evidence and verbalize their thoughts. But evidence itself does not have thoughts to verbalize.”  — Dr. Jason Lisle

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The Quotable Round-Up # 63

Photo by Nonsap Visuals on Unsplash

Hey people heres your favorite post. Hot and fresh quotes from the book “Kept for Jesus” by Sam Storms  . If you enjoyed these quotes, please buy the book at your nearest Christian bookstore or on Amazon. Feel free to share this post over your social media. God bless you and enjoy your week!

“We are eternally secure in our salvation not because we are faithful but because God is. He is reliable. He is trustworthy. He is true to himself and will never fail to fulfill what he has promised.”

“Justification is God’s legal declaration that the righteousness of his Son, Jesus Christ, has been imputed or reckoned to us so that we stand in his presence fully accepted and forgiven by faith alone.”

“If the greater task was God’s sending his Son to die for us while we were his enemies, how much easier for him to save us and live for us now that we are his friends? If God loved us as much as he did while we were helpless, sinful, and ungodly, how much more shall he love us now that we are justified, righteous in Christ, adopted as children, and reconciled to his heart.”

“I’ve often heard this: “We say to Jesus, ‘Who were we that led you to do this for us?’ Jesus then says to us, ‘You were a treasure hidden to yourself but seen by me.’” But my understanding is that when we ask, “Who were we that led you to do this for us?” the only answer is: “You were hell-deserving rebels who had no claim on anything in me other than to be the recipients of eternal wrath. I did this for you not because you were a treasure or because of anything in you; indeed it was in spite of what was in you. I did this for you solely because of what was in me, namely, sovereign and free and gracious love for those who deserve only to be hated.”

“Jesus died for spiritually impotent people (Rom. 3:10–12). He died for people who were helpless to prepare themselves, helpless to prove themselves worthy, helpless to do or think or say anything that might attract God’s love. Contrary to the aphorism “God helps those who help themselves,” God helps those who are utterly and absolutely helpless.”

“Genuine, saving faith is the sort that not only learns what he says but also loves it. Genuine faith displays its true character by producing in the heart of the individual a persevering attachment to Jesus. Momentary, flash-in-the-pan commitment to Christ means nothing. We’ve all seen people who are excited today and out the exit tomorrow, men and women who display an attraction to religion and the benefits it can bring them, but who, during the routine experiences of daily life, are rarely heard to utter a distinctly Christian word or make a self-effacing sacrifice for the benefit of another or commit a distinctly Christian act.”

“Merely hearing the gospel avails little. Neither witnessing nor personally benefiting from the working of miracles testifies to the presence of saving faith. That initial emotional euphoria upon responding to the good news of the kingdom can quickly dissipate and die. That we all likely know men and women who heard and received and later ministered on behalf of the gospel, only later to have fallen away, is a sobering reality that ought to give us pause. But at no time should it lead us to conclude that those genuinely born of the Spirit can falter so as to finally fail to enter the kingdom of God. Such is the love of God for his own that he will never permit them to suffer eternal loss.”

“Wherever emotions are high and the gospel is portrayed as promising health, wealth, ease, and popularity, people will believe. This is epidemic today. The response is enthusiastic but shallow; there is no deep consideration of the gospel and its implications; there is no counting of the cost. The response is quick and euphoric but false; it soon fades. Beware of so-called conversions that are all smiles and no repentance, much religious bravado but no brokenness over sin and no humility.”

Tested by Time: Delighting Grace Interviews Dr. Isabelo Magalit

photo courtesy of  Leneth Hortillosa Neri

Truly its an honor to meet Dr. Magalit.  This prolific Christian author still has the strength and wisdom to talk about God. While others are enjoying their retirement, Dr. Magalit,  in his 70’s he graced an apologetics seminar here in Batangas. And I know he can still go on by God’s grace ( he told me has 2 book project coming soon.)

 

After the apologetics seminar, I sat with Dr. Magalit and talked about his friendship with John Stott, his books and advice for young pastors:

Delighting Grace: Hi pastor. You have mentioned that John Stott mentored you. How was it and what is the one thing you learned from him that you treasured?

Dr. Isabelo Magalit: Yes, but not formally. He is an officer of IVF in Cambridge ( which Dr. Magalit is previously connected). The first book of his that I read is “Basic Christianity”. It’s a wonderful presentation of the gospel though its a long read. The gospel was clearly explained in that book. We actually reprinted that in Manila. His a long time friend. Every time I go to London I visit his church. Although latter in life he mentored me, I know him in my youth through his books. Then when I became pastor every time he comes to Manila, of course, he will come and see me.

Delighting Grace: You wrote a booklet about Iglesia ni Cristo titled “Who is Jesus According to the New Testament?”. Please tell us the process of writing this booklet.

Dr. Isabelo Magalit: I wrote that in 2012, then somewhere along the line, our elders told me, “Manong, if you need a sabbatical to finish the the book, we will give you two months.” So I completed the book in two months. 

Delighting Grace:   So whats the reception of the booklet by the Iglesia ni Cristo ministers?

Dr. Isabelo Magalit: They didn’t read it. They don’t want to read it.

Delighting Grace: You personally talk to someone in the INC on why they don’t want to check out the booklet?

Dr. Isabelo Magalit: Our Young People went to the Iglesia ni Cristo Central Temple which is near Diliman.

Delighting Grace: No clamoring? They just don’t want to read it.

Dr. Isabelo Magalit: They don’t want to read it.

Delighting Grace: Among your books which is the most memorable for you?

Dr. Isabelo Magalit: I think the most important is this (pulls out the booklet titled “Who is the Real Christian?”), its still a best seller and my church in Quezon City buys this by the hundreds and uses it as a primary tool for evangelism. It has a Tagalog version and its cheap. Its only 5 pesos. 

Delighting Grace: You have been in the ministry for so long. So in your opinion how did the evangelical landscape in the Philippines changed from your early days to the present?

Dr. Isabelo Magalit: I think the evangelical landscape today is more intentionally involved on socio-political.  Because the Lausanne Congress evangelism is our top priority but its not only our duty. We have a duty to be involved socio-politically. Meet human needs, serve the poor and help refugees. I was part of Lausanne Congress.

Delighting Grace: Lastly pastor, what would you advice to young pastors who are just starting in the ministry.

Dr. Isabelo Magalit: Make sure you have time everyday to read your Bible and to pray. Your quite time is fundamental. That’s basic. Second, your wife should be a real partner. Are you married?

Delighting Grace: Yes.

Dr. Isabelo Magalit: Your wife is your closest partner. You will share her even your heartaches and injustices that they have done to you as a pastor. You wife is the main protection from falling into sin. It’s very important to have your wife as a partner in your prayer life in your Christian service. She must do something for the church. Involve your wife in everything you do. 

Delighting Grace: Thank you  pastor for the time you gave for this interview. God bless

Online resources from Dr. Isabelo Magalit:

Buy Dr. Magalit’s books online:

https://www.passagesbooks.com/collections/vendors?q=Dr.%20Isabelo%20F.%20Magalit

Can a Christian be a Nationalist? by Dr Isabelo F. Magalit audio message:

A Worker Approved by God by Dr. Isabelo Magalit audio message:  https://www.mixcloud.com/atsph/a-worker-approved-by-god-dr-isabelo-f-magalit/

Unedited Interview

Guys I have a treat for all of you. Here’s the raw and unedited audio interview of Dr. Isabelo Magalit . Part 1 is 9 minutes and Part 2 is 6 minutes. Some of what you’ll hear from these mp3 are not included in this blog post.

http://k003.kiwi6.com/…/Dr._Isabelo_Magalit_Interview_Part_…

http://k003.kiwi6.com/…/Dr._Isabelo_Magalit_Interview_Part_…

The Quotable Round-Up # 62

Photo by Nonsap Visuals on Unsplash

Hey people heres your favorite post. Hot and fresh quotes from the books “Preach: Theology Meets Practice” by Mark Dever and Greg Gilbert, “Young, Restless and Reformed” by Collin Hansen,  . If you enjoyed these quotes, please buy the books at your nearest Christian bookstore or on Amazon. Feel free to share this post over your social media. God bless you and enjoy your week!

“Christian preaching, though, has at its heart the desire to make a change, to say something the world does not hear from anywhere else and does not even want to hear. It’s not that Christian preachers are looking for ways to be contrarian. It’s that the message we have been given to preach is the countercultural, status quo challenging, and offensive declaration that the human race is in rebellion against our King, and that our choices are to be judged for that rebellion or to accept love and forgiveness from His hand.” — Mark Dever and Greg Gilbert

“Too many churches today have preachers who look to the culture around them not simply for the most effective methods of communicating their message but for the most effective message to be preached.” — Mark Dever and Greg Gilbert

“Understanding that theological truth about preaching can make all the difference between a milque-toast preaching ministry that just makes suggestions about a few things “we might want to think about” and a preaching ministry that heralds the good news, direct from the throne of God, that those who trust Jesus and confess Him as Lord will find mercy, forgiveness, salvation—and new life!—in His hand.”– Mark Dever and Greg Gilbert

“Humanly speaking, God’s sovereignty seems to threaten human responsibility. But Scripture affirms both truths. Even when we don’t understand, we can thank God that he does not limit himself according to our understanding. God gives Christians all the motivation they need to share their faith. We evangelize for God and his glory, out of love for our neighbors. We have confidence because there is no greater evangelist than the Holy Spirit.” — Collin Hansen

“Christians must seek not a return to the Reformation or the First Great Awakening but a return to Jesus Christ, the founder and perfecter of our faith.”– Collin Hansen

“Mere knowledge is not the end of Calvinism or any other theology. Theology should drive a Christian toward transformation—toward greater worship of God and more powerful service for his sake.”– Collin Hansen

“Maybe you can only survive so long on a self-help diet. Eventually you get pretty sick of yourself. A biblical understanding of God—big beyond description, active, perfectly holy—tastes much better than junk-food pop psychology.”– Collin Hansen

 

 

The Quotable Round-Up # 61

Hey people its a new again and heres your favorite post. Hot and fresh quotes from the book”Preaching Killer Sermons” by Lane Sebring. If you enjoyed these quotes, please buy the book at your nearest Christian bookstore or on Amazon. Feel free to share this post over your social media. God bless you and enjoy your week!

“Your listeners are desperate to be inspired. They need you to show them that it is possible, it matters, and if they take Jesus at his word and do what he says, it will make a difference because it is simply and absolutely the best way to live.”– Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

“If we can learn anything from companies such as Google, it is that simplicity rules the day. A wordy, crowded, alliterated outline makes it difficult to navigate what is most important for your listeners to remember.”– Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

“Alliteration is not technically the problem. Overuse of alliteration and forced alliteration are the problems. Sometimes it can be very helpful. Other times it is a huge distraction. In my view, what makes the difference is whether memorizing it will help your audience when they walk away. If memorizing the outline is not something that would help them, then there is no need to alliterate.”– Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

“An effective illustration is the secret sauce that makes your listeners grab onto your ideas on an emotional level. A good illustration will reach out and grab your listeners and pull them into your content. It will help you establish an emotional connection and make them care.”– Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

“Just say it. Just tell the story. Just give the example. Just give the illustration. There is no need to introduce it. Your listeners’ brains are working much faster than your mouth is moving. They will connect the dots if the illustration is effective and makes sense. It is much more interesting to move right into a story, example, metaphor, or analogy than to spend precious time setting it up.”- Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

“If you have to force-fit an illustration to get it to connect to your point, don’t use it. It’s like telling a joke and then having to explain the punchline. The joke is no longer funny. It never was. If you have to map out how the illustration connects at every level, it has already lost its potency. The illustration is supposed to give your ideas clarity, so if instead it confuses and leaves your listeners scratching their heads trying to connect the dots, the illustration has defeated its purpose.”- Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

“Information without application is education. If your goal is simply to educate or inform your audience so they are more knowledgeable about the Bible, then stop preaching.”- Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

 

The Quotable Round-Up # 60

Hey people its a new again and heres your favorite post. Hot and fresh quotes from the book”Preaching Killer Sermons” by Lane Sebring. If you enjoyed these quotes, please buy the book at your nearest Christian bookstore or on Amazon. Feel free to share this post over your social media. God bless you and enjoy your week!

“When you do not adequately prepare your sermons, you ensure you will deliver an aimless sermon. Lack of preparation leads most preachers to ramble, to preach longer than they should, and to struggle to define and clearly communicate the point of the sermon.” — Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

“The people who fill your church every week are desperate—in some cases even dying—to be inspired. They are eager to be given a sense of hope and reassurance that life can be lived better. When you lack passion you reinforce the feeling some of your people have: “There is nothing in this for me.” — Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

“Nothing will hinder our ability to improve as a preacher more than thinking we have nothing more to learn.” — Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

“Every sermon needs a purposeful objective. If you have not clearly defined the objective for your sermon, you will not know whether you have hit it. The objective is not the same as a main point. Your point(s) should correspond to your objective, but your objective rises above your point to another level. The objective is what your sermon does, while your point is what your sermon teaches.”– Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

“Sermons must have all three of these elements to be effective. Information without inspiration is boring. Inspiration without application is useless. Here is a simple equation to make sense of it all: Information + Inspiration + Application = Killer Sermon.”– Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

“Consider the people you are speaking to and factor in their specific life-stages, needs, educational levels, backgrounds, and preferences. Communication is about the listener, so you should avoid having a one-size-fits-all approach to sermon structure.”– Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

“Begin your sermon by presenting a problem and helping everyone see they have a stake in it. You want to make every listener know that your sermon is going to be helpful and add value to his or her life. Perhaps they should be interested regardless, but this is not usually the case.”- Lane Sebring, “Preaching Killer Sermons” #preachingkillersermons #lanesebring #preaching #sermonprep

The Quotable Round-Up # 59

Hey people  heres your favorite post. Hot and fresh quotes from the book“God Is: How Christianity Explains Everything” by Douglas Wilson. If you enjoyed these quotes, please buy the book at your nearest Christian bookstore or on Amazon. Feel free to share this post over your social media. God bless you and enjoy your week!

“So whenever Hitchens condemns the moral behavior of anyone else, he is not proving that atheists can be moral too. He is proving, instead, that he is incapable of following his own premises out to the end of the road. He is proving that he is blissfully unaware of the blatant contradictions in his system where no one can impose his morality on another.” — Douglas Wilson, “God Is: How Christianity Explains Everything” #atheism #douglaswilson #christopherhitchens #gospel #GodIs #Godisnotgreat #religionpoisonseverything #howchristianityexplainseverything

“There are plenty of miracle-mongers who are doing their thing in the name of Jesus, and they deserve everything that Hitchens can deliver to them, and they deserve it good and hard. But as Hitchens acknowledges here briefly, and should do so far more extensively, this is the same kind of critique of gullibility that is found in John Calvin’s Inventory of Relics. When Hitchens comes to attack this kind of credulity and hypocrisy, he finds that many Christians have preceded him.” –Douglas Wilson, “God Is: How Christianity Explains Everything” #atheism #douglaswilson #christopherhitchens #gospel #GodIs #Godisnotgreat #religionpoisonseverything #howchristianityexplainseverything

“God does not wave a compromise-wand over us and declare us to be forgiven. That would justify us, but He would not be just. Or He could send us all to hell—then He would be just, but not the one who justifies. Rather, He sent a new Adam. He established the whole human race all over again—Jesus Christ established a new way of being human.” — Douglas Wilson, “God Is: How Christianity Explains Everything” #atheism #douglaswilson #christopherhitchens #gospel #GodIs #Godisnotgreat #religionpoisonseverything #howchristianityexplainseverything

“This is why there is no injustice in the gospel. I do not just walk away from my sins. Sinners are guilty and all sinners must die. What the cross does is provide us with a way of dying, with resurrection as a promised consequence. Jesus did not die so that we might live. He died so that we might die; He lives so that we might live. This is our hope, and this is our glory. And God in His kindness has authorized His people to extend this offer—full of grace—to people like Christopher Hitchens.” — Douglas Wilson, “God Is: How Christianity Explains Everything” #atheism #douglaswilson #christopherhitchens #gospel #GodIs #Godisnotgreat #religionpoisonseverything #howchristianityexplainseverything

“If there is no God above the system, then the system is god. All societies are religious organisms, not just the ones with a religious exoskeleton.”– Douglas Wilson, “God Is: How Christianity Explains Everything” #atheism #douglaswilson #christopherhitchens #gospel #GodIs #Godisnotgreat #religionpoisonseverything #howchristianityexplainseverything

“All human societies are theocracies. The only issue that confronts us is which theos we will serve. The atrocious cultures are the ones who serve atrocious gods.” — Douglas Wilson, “God Is: How Christianity Explains Everything” #atheism #douglaswilson #christopherhitchens #gospel #GodIs #Godisnotgreat #religionpoisonseverything #howchristianityexplainseverything

“Hitchens acknowledges that secularist hellholes are wrong. He explains (in many ways, accurately) how they came to be so wrong. In many cases it was because of the previous misbehavior of believers. Granted. He vividly lances the pomposity and pretensions of those who are wrong in this way. The only thing he does not explain—for he cannot explain—is why they are wrong.” — Douglas Wilson, “God Is: How Christianity Explains Everything” #atheism #douglaswilson #christopherhitchens #gospel #GodIs #Godisnotgreat #religionpoisonseverything #howchristianityexplainseverything