Posted by: thaishin | January 8, 2026

Conforming to Christ’s Image by J.C. Ryle

He that would be conformed to Christ’s image, and become a Christ–like man, must be constantly studying Christ Himself. Now the Gospels were written to make us acquainted with Christ. The Holy Spirit has told us the story of His life and death, His sayings and His doings, four times over.

Four different inspired hands have drawn the picture of the Savior His ways, His manners, His feelings, His wisdom, His grace, His patience, His love, His power are graciously unfolded to us by four different witnesses. Ought not the sheep to be familiar with the Shepherd?

Ought not the patient to be familiar with the Physician? Ought not the bride to be familiar with the Bridegroom? Ought not the sinner to be familiar with the Savior? Beyond doubt it ought to be so.

The Gospels were written to make men familiar with Christ, and therefore I wish men to study the Gospels.

On whom must we build our souls if we would be accepted with God? We must build on the Rock, Christ. From whom must we draw that grace of the Spirit which we daily need in order to be fruitful? We must draw from the Vine, Christ.

To whom must we look for sympathy when earthly friends fail us or die? We must look to our elder Brother, Christ. By whom must our prayers be presented, if they are to be heard on high? They must be presented by our Advocate, Christ.

With whom do we hope to spend the thousand years of glory, and the after eternity? With the King of kings, Christ. Surely we cannot know this Christ too well!

Surely there is not a word, nor a deed, nor a day, nor a step, nor a thought in the record of His life, which ought not to be precious to us. We should labor to be familiar with every line that is written about Jesus.”

Source: http://www.jcryle.info

Webpage: https://www.jcryle.info/2025/12/he-that-would-be-conformed-to-christs.html

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Posted in Jesus, Christian Living, Christian Walk | Tags: , , , ,

Posted by: thaishin | December 29, 2025

Who were the wise men in the Christmas Story?

Open Line program on Moody Radio on December 20, 2025. Hour 2 @6:09

Question from listener:

I have a question about Christmas. A friend asked me the other day, where the wise men came from? It doesn’t specifically say in the bible. But did they come somewhere in the East or has some historian provided more information on them?

Answer from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=660698&hour=2

Summary of Answer:

Dr Michael Rydelnik says that the wise men were from the East and speculates that they were the same class of astronomer, wise men, king’s counselors that Daniel were part of 5 centuries earlier. And he left them the scripture, he left them the book of Daniel and as they read the scriptures like Numbers 24 about the star rising out of Jacob, Numbers 24:17-19 and when they saw the star, they knew it was the fulfilment of prophecy.

In Dr Michael Rydelnik’s opinion, he thinks the star that the wise men saw was not an actual star in the sky but it was the shekinah glory of God.

Numbers 24

17“I see Him, but not now;
I behold Him, but not near;
A Star shall come out of Jacob;
A Scepter shall rise out of Israel,
And batter the brow of Moab,
And destroy all the sons of tumult.

18“And Edom shall be a possession;
Seir also, his enemies, shall be a possession,
While Israel does valiantly.
19Out of Jacob One shall have dominion,
And destroy the remains of the city.”

-nkjv

17I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.

18And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

19Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

-kjv

17I see him, but not now;

I look at him, but not near;

A star shall appear from Jacob,

A scepter shall rise from Israel,

And shall smash the forehead of Moab,

And overcome all the sons of Sheth.

18“And Edom shall be a possession,

Seir, its enemies, also will be a possession,

While Israel performs valiantly.

19“One from Jacob shall rule,

And will eliminate the survivors from the city.”

-nasb

17“I see him, but not now;

I behold him, but not near.

A star will come out of Jacob;

a scepter will rise out of Israel.

He will crush the foreheads of Moab,

the skulls of all the people of Sheth.

18Edom will be conquered;

Seir, his enemy, will be conquered,

but Israel will grow strong.

19A ruler will come out of Jacob

and destroy the survivors of the city.” -niv

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Posted in Christmas, Daniel | Tags: , , , ,

Posted by: thaishin | December 24, 2025

Micah 5:2

2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.” -nkjv

2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. -kjv

2But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His times of coming forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity.” -nasb

2“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
    though you are small among the clans of Judah,
out of you will come for me
    one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
    from ancient times.” -niv

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Posted in Birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas, Jesus

Posted by: thaishin | December 8, 2025

Take Heed of Your Little Sins and Repent! by J.C.Ryle

Keep a jealous watch over your repentance. Keep it up, and let not the fire burn low. Whenever you find a slackness coming over your soul—whenever you feel slow, dull, heavy, cold, and careless about little sins—look to your own heart then, and take heed lest you fall. Say to your soul, “Oh, my soul, what are you doing?
Have you forgotten David’s fall? Have you forgotten Peter’s backsliding? Have you forgotten David’s subsequent misery? Have you forgotten Peter’s tears? Awake, O my soul, awake once more. Heap on fuel, make the fire burn bright. Return again to your God, let your repentance once more be lively. Let your repentance be repented over again.” Alas, how few are the hours in a Christian’s best days when he does not make work for repentance!

Source: http://www.jcryle.info

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Posted in Repentance

Posted by: thaishin | November 26, 2025

Facts from the bible stating/implying that Peter was married

The Land and the book (Moody Radio) on November 22, 2025

Answer from Dr Bob Moeller @13:09

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=658896

Summary of Answer:

  1. Matthew 8:14-15
  2. 1 Corinthians 9:5 (Cephas referring to Peter)

Matthew 8

14Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. 15So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them. -nkjv

1 Corinthians 9

5Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas? -nkjv

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Posted in Bible, Peter

Posted by: thaishin | November 9, 2025

Summarizing the 6 Marks of Regeneration by J.C. Ryle

I know there is a vast difference in the depth and distinctness of these marks among those who are Regenerate. In some people they are faint, dim, feeble, and hardly to be discerned. You almost need a microscope to make them out. In others they are bold, sharp, clear, plain, and unmistakable, so that he who runs may read them.
Some of these marks are more visible in some people, and others are more visible in others. It seldom happens that all are equally manifest in one and the same soul. All this I am quite ready to allow.

But still, after every allowance, here we find boldly painted the six marks of being born of God. Here are certain positive things laid down by John, as parts of the Regenerate man’s character, as plainly and distinctly as the features of a man’s face. Here is an inspired Apostle writing one of the last general Epistles to the Church of Christ, telling us that a man born of God—

  • does not commit sin;
  • believes that Jesus is the Christ;
  • does righteousness;
  • loves the brethren;
  • overcomes the world;
  • and keeps himself.

Reader, if you have NOT these marks…

Awake to a sense of your danger. Arise from your sleep of indifference and unconcern. Know the immense peril of hell and eternal misery in which you stand. Begin to use diligently every means by which God is ordinarily pleased to give grace to men’s hearts, when they have not received it in their youth. Be diligent in hearing the Gospel preached. Be diligent in reading the Bible. Be diligent, above all, in prayer to the Lord Jesus Christ for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

If you take this course, I have every hope for you. None ever sought the Lord Jesus Christ in simplicity and sincerity—and sought in vain.

If, on the contrary, you refuse to take this course, and will continue as you are, I have little hope for you, and many fears. If the Bible be true, you are not yet born again. You will not use the most likely means to obtain this mighty blessing. What can I say but this, “the Lord have mercy upon your soul!”

Reader, if you HAVE these marks I have been speaking of…

Be advised, and strive every year to make them more clear and plain. Let your repentance be a growing habit—your faith an increasing faith—your holiness a progressive holiness—your victory over the world a more decided victory—your love to the brethren a more hearty love—your watchfulness over yourself a more jealous watchfulness. Take this advice, and you will never repent of it. This is the way to be useful and happy in your religion. This is the way to put to silence the opposition of the enemies of truth. Let others, if they will, have Regeneration on their tongues, and nowhere else. Let it be your care to have it shining forth in your life, and to feel it in your heart.

source: http://www.jcryle.info

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Posted in Christian Living, John, Regeneration | Tags: , , , ,

Posted by: thaishin | November 4, 2025

Using the bible as the main historical reference

Hour 1 of Open Line on November 1, 2025 @15:11

Question:

I have recently been listening to a podcast that’s going over Jewish and eastern understanding of the bible that’s talking about Midrash and other literature which dwells on the bible in hebrew in Jewish. How do you use that stuff to further our understanding of the bible?

Answer from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=658646&hour=1

Summary of answer:

Dr Michael Rydelnik says the best way to understand the bible is to read it. The mistake is to think that we need all sort of background literature to understand the bible. If we need the historical background to the text, the bible itself is the best reference. For example, the background to Isaiah 7 is 2 Kings 16 and the background to the book of Ephesians is Acts 19. Let scripture interpret scripture. Secondly, there may be some background that we may have forgotten that the author of scripture presumes the audience knew. For example, in Matthew 23, Jesus is talking about the seat of Moses and Matthew records that. Matthew knows that Jesus knows about the seat of Moses and the audience knows about the seat of Moses but the current reader of scripture don’t. That’s when it is good to do research to understand the seat of Moses. Historically, the seat of Moses was thought to be discovered at the city of Chorazin in Galilee and it suggests a literal or symbolic seat of authority for teaching Torah in synagogues.

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Posted in Bible, History

Posted by: thaishin | September 28, 2025

The 10 Marks of the Holy Spirit in a Believer by J.C. Ryle

The Spirit awakens a person’s heart.

The Spirit teaches a person’s mind.

The Spirit leads to the Word.

The Spirit convinces of sin.

The Spirit draws to Christ.

The Spirit sanctifies.

The Spirit makes a person spiritually minded.

The Spirit produces inward conflict.

The Spirit makes a person love the brethren.

The Spirit teaches a person to pray.

These are the great marks of the Holy Spirit’s presence. Put the question to your conscience and ask: Has the Spirit done anything of this kind for your soul?

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Posted in Holy Spirit

Posted by: thaishin | September 14, 2025

Do You Possess the Marks of the New Birth? By J.C. Ryle

Would we know what the marks of the new birth are? We shall find them already written for our learning in the First Epistle of John. The person born of God “believes that Jesus is the Christ,” – “does not commit sin,” – “does righteousness,” – “loves the brethren,” – “overcomes the world,” – “keeps himself from the wicked one.” This is the person born of the Spirit! Where these fruits are to be seen, there is the new birth of which our Lord is speaking. They that lacks these marks, is yet dead in trespasses and sins. (1 John 5:1; 3:9; 2:29; 3:14; 5:4; 5:18).

1 John 5

1Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.

1 John 3

9 Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.

1 John 2

29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.

1 John 3

14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.

1 John 5

4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 5

18 We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.

Source: http://www.jcryle.info

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Posted in Regeneration, Salvation

Posted by: thaishin | September 7, 2025

God’s Jealousy

Open Line 30th August 2025 Hour 1@2:20

Question from Listener:

I have always found Exodus 20 verse 5 which says “You shall not bow them to them (idols) or worship them for I the Lord your God is a jealous God, punishing the children for the father’s sins to the third and fourth generation for those who hate me.” I have always found this to be a difficult verse because the word ‘jealous’ has so many negative connotations and I suffer from God having negative traits, so can you explain the proper translation of this verb and is it related to zealous or are they different?

Answer from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=653333&hour=1

Summary of answer:

The Hebrew word that is used here can be translated as ‘jealous’ or ‘zealous’. The real issue is: “Is it a negative trait to be jealous?” There is human trait of feeling jealousy which is unmerited, undeserved but it is appropriate, for example, for a spouse to feel jealousy if the husband or wife is acting in a way that is inappropriate. The result will be that the spouse is jealous and that’s appropriate. The word jealous as it is used here is about exclusivity: There is one God and He is exclusively God and going after false gods will stir up that jealousy. The same idea is used in other places in the New Testament, for example, Romans 11:11, to make Jewish people jealous because salvation rightfully belongs to them and now it’s been given to someone else. So, if it is a rightful jealousy, it is perfectly okay.

Scripture:

Exodus 20

5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, -nkjv

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; -kjv

5 You shall not worship them nor serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, inflicting the punishment of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, -nasb

5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, -niv

Romans 11

11 I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. -nkjv

11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy. -kjv

11 I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? Far from it! But by their wrongdoing salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. -nasb

11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. -niv

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