The Whole Counsel

Reading Well II: Final Principle and Our Book Lists (Originally published 12.2.21)

Last week we republished a discussion between John Snyder and Jeremy Walker on the first five of six principles to keep in mind if you want to get the most benefit of reading careful books this year.
In this week’s episode, John and Jeremy both select six books that exemplify their approach to a balanced reading diet.
Check out Jeremy's podcasts:
The Heart of Spurgeon: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-the-heart-of-spurgeon/id1546109129
A Word in Season:
YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW0xuCgknPDN2f0LSE4JiVmtrZtB6zsib
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-word-in-season-with-jeremy-walker/id1511364782
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

Reading Well I: Principles (Originally published 11.25.21)

With the start of the new year, we wanted to revisit John Snyder's conversation with Jeremy Walker back in 2021 about six principles to reading well. We make through five of the principles in this episode. Next week we’ll return to give our final principle and a list of books to help get you started in this year’s reading.
Check out Jeremy's podcasts:
The Heart of Spurgeon: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/from-the-heart-of-spurgeon/id1546109129
A Word in Season:
YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW0xuCgknPDN2f0LSE4JiVmtrZtB6zsib
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-word-in-season-with-jeremy-walker/id1511364782
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

The Coming Messiah VI: The Davidic Line of Immanuel

Last week we talked about the issue of biblical covenants. God reveals Himself progressively, meaning that He has revealed more of Himself and His plan of redemption by the book of 1 and 2 Samuel than He did in Exodus. The seeds are certainly contained in Exodus, and even in Genesis, but they are more developed through later passages.
In 2 Samuel 7, God lays out His covenant with King David. God lays out what He obligates Himself to do. But He also describes what is expected of the Davidic line. Basically, it is obedience.
In this final episode of our series focusing on the descriptions of Immanuel, John Snyder connects the dots for us, showing how Jesus Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of all the promises God made in the Davidic Covenant.
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

The Coming Messiah V: The Connection between David and Immanuel

This week, we continue our look at Isaiah’s descriptions of Immanuel.
John Snyder focuses on the connection between King David of the Old Testament and the coming Messiah. Scripture offers an illustration that the Immanuel will come from the root of Jesse. But why is this important to us today?
To understand this picture, we must consider the covenants God made with particular people, including Abraham, Moses, David, and, ultimately, Christ. Meditating on these promises will help deepen our understanding of God, His faithfulness, and His zeal in redeeming a people for His glory.
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

Reflection & Gratitude for 2022: Celebrating a decade of God’s faithfulness

We are grateful to God for His kindness toward us over the last decade. To see a glimpse of what He has done through the work of Media Gratiae over the last 10 years, visit here and read our end-of-year ministry report:
https://report.mediagratiae.org

The Coming Messiah IV: God’s Description of Immanuel

There are many passages of Scripture where God describes Himself to us. This week we are focusing on four such descriptions of God describing the coming Immanuel in Isaiah 9. Some 700 years before the incarnation of Christ, God chooses to give royal titles to the One who would be born a King. He would be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Have you ever stopped to consider what these titles mean, and how much they can tell us about how we are to relate to our Redeemer? God made a promise not just the Immanuel would come to rescue His people, but that He would come in such a way that He would be known by these realities. Now, over 2,700 years removed from the making of this promise and 2,000 years removed from its fulfillment, what are you doing with these words?
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

The Coming Messiah III: A Glimmer of Hope

Last week’s episode ended on gloom and judgment. Ahaz has rejected the opportunity of God to ask for any sign of His faithfulness. Rather than obeying God in requesting that sign, Ahaz chooses to put his faith in his own plan and strategy. God’s astounding response is to give him a sign anyway, the coming of Immanuel. He also pronounces judgment on Ahaz and his kingdom in the form of Assyria.
This week we move from the gloom and destruction promised in Isaiah 8 to the hope and promise of Isaiah 9. No more will Zebulun and Naphtali be seen as an area that God has abandoned. They will, with the coming of Christ be seen as glorious because of Christ dwelling there.
Here is the question for us, removed some 2,700 years from God’s deliverance of the promise and 2,000 years from His fulfillment of that promise: How do we apply this? How should these truths live in our life? John gives us some application of this passage in this week’s episode.
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

The Coming Messiah II: The Shame of Having a Plan B

This week we continue looking at descriptions of the coming Messiah in Isaiah 8. Last week we discussed how God mercifully gave the wicked King Ahaz an opportunity to ask for any sign to prove His faithfulness. Ahaz refused but God gave a sign anyway.
In today’s passage, God speaks through Isaiah and pronounces the coming judgment on the people of Israel.
Some of the Israelites respond to this news with despair, others respond in pride, relying on their own cleverness rather than God, while others look for the hand of God in the events of their day. Which group would you belong to?
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

The Coming Messiah I: What will You do with the Descriptions of Christ?

This week we begin a new series in which we examine God’s descriptions of the forthcoming Messiah in the book of Isaiah. In this inaugural episode, we are examining Isaiah 8. When we slow down and really consider what is happening, the story is shocking. A wicked king is given an opportunity by God to receive any sign or wonder, as high as heaven or low as hell. He is the only person in Scripture given this opportunity. And he refuses.
But that isn’t the most shocking part; God mercifully gave him a sign anyway, and it was a wonderful sign. God described the Messiah He would send to rescue His people from the slavery of sin. Isaiah 8 is not a Christmas passage, though it is often read during this season. But let us take time to slow down, consider what God is speaking to us, and refuse to be like Ahaz who heard the words and left unchanged. Let us meditate on God’s words and consider how we can live on the realities of Immanuel.
Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts
You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

10 Years of Beholding God: Richard Owen Roberts, pt 1

We have previously introduced you to our friend, Mr. Richard Owen Roberts. We walked through the book he assembled, Salvation in Full Color, we’ve had him on the podcast to discuss his upcoming conference (link below). But Mr. Roberts has been a part of our ministry much longer than we have been producing our podcast.
When we were discussing who we would interview for our inaugural study in the early days of Media Gratiae, Mr. Roberts was a must. We knew we wanted his wisdom and insight on the topic of rethinking God biblically. And he certainly did not disappoint. In fact, his interview is over two and a half hours long. Sadly, we had to cut the vast majority of his words in the study. But today we want to present you with some of his responses to our questions in their entirety.
Check out Mr. Roberts conference here: https://www.nbcknox.org/turn
Sign up for the giveaway here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/sign-up
Giveaway books: Blessed and Boundless God - https://heritagebooks.org/products/the-blessed-and-boundless-god-puritan-treasures-for-today-swinnock.html
The Incomparableness of God - https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/theology-books/the-incomparableness-of-god/
Studies in Christian History and Thought: Puritan Spirituality by Stephen Yuille - https://www.christianbook.com/puritan-spirituality-affective-theology-george-swinnock/j-yuille/9781556358678/pd/358678
The Existence and Attributes of God - https://www.christianbook.com/existence-attributes-god-updated-unabridged-volumes/stephen-charnock/9781433565908/pd/565900?event=ESRCG