Charles Spurgeon uses the biblical story of Elisha raising the Shunammite's son as a powerful analogy for the work of spiritual teachers seeking the salvation of their students. Just as Elisha faced a physically dead child, teachers confront students who are spiritually dead in their sins. The ultimate aim of a teacher, therefore, is nothing less than spiritual resurrection, bringing life from heaven to souls that are spiritually lifeless.

Spurgeon contrasts Elisha's initial attempt through Gehazi with his subsequent personal intervention to highlight crucial lessons. Sending Gehazi with the staff symbolizes the inadequacy of merely delivering biblical truth or using detached methods without personal engagement. Just as the staff alone could not revive the child, truth spoken without the teacher's own heartfelt earnestness and connection will likely have no effect.

Elisha's eventual success came through fervent prayer and deep personal involvement. Shutting the door to pray signifies the crucial reliance on divine power. Elisha's intimate physical contact with the child – mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands, and stretching himself upon the child – represents the need for profound empathy and a deep personal connection with students, understanding their spiritual state and yearning for their revival.

Furthermore, Elisha's persistence, even after the child showed initial signs of life, underscores the necessity of perseverance and unwavering effort in spiritual work. Teachers should not be discouraged by a lack of immediate results but should continue to labor and pray. Ultimately, Spurgeon emphasizes that just as Elisha relied on God's power, teachers must recognize their own limitations and depend on divine intervention while diligently employing personal effort and heartfelt connection. Teachers must also ensure they are spiritually alive themselves to be effective in bringing life to others.

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Matthew Poole's commentary on Psalm 9 centers on David's praise for God's justice and deliverance from his enemies. Poole sees the psalm as reflecting on David's past trials and God's gracious interventions. A key aspect is God's judgment of the wicked, which Poole describes as multifaceted: they face destruction at God's presence, experience utter ruin and the erasure of their memory, and often fall into the traps they set for others. Ultimately, those who forget God face eternal perdition.

For Poole, understanding God's name is crucial; it means deeply knowing His nature and perfections, such as His power, wisdom, faithfulness, and goodness, which inspires trust. Zion's significance lies in it being the place of God's special presence, symbolized by the ark, making it the appropriate location for praise and from where God's deeds should be declared.

Poole emphasizes that the destruction of God's enemies is due to God's direct power, righteous judgment, and the reversal of their evil plans. God is seen as central to David's victories, acting as a refuge and protector for the oppressed. Poole's interpretation includes both God's present actions of judgment and a future, universal judgment. David's praise stems from these acts of justice and deliverance, as well as God's eternal nature and faithfulness. The psalm also reflects David's pleas for continued mercy amidst his suffering, highlighting the themes of divine justice and human adversity within their historical context. His intentions include expressing praise, celebrating God's justice, seeking mercy, and highlighting the fate of the wicked while encouraging trust in God's unfailing care.

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Verbal inspiration posits that the Holy Spirit supernaturally guided Scripture writers not only in their thoughts but also in their selection of the very words used. This ensures that each word accurately conveys God's intended message. This view emphasizes that precise thoughts necessitate precise words and that God, through His Spirit, directs the writer's thinking in such a way that they choose the most fitting words from their own divinely shaped vocabulary. While affirming divine control over the language, verbal inspiration is typically distinguished from dictation, as it acknowledges the unique personalities and styles of the human authors.

Reconciling verbal inspiration with the use of sources involves understanding that inspiration can encompass the accurate recording of pre-existing information, whether divinely revealed earlier or obtained through research. The Holy Spirit can guide authors in selecting, interpreting, and integrating material from sources, ensuring the final inspired text faithfully serves God's purpose. The focus remains on God's superintendence over the final written product and the precise wording used, even when drawing upon outside material.

The circularity charge against biblical authority argues that it's flawed reasoning to base belief in the Bible's divine authority solely on its own claims. The Bible frequently asserts its divine origin, and using these self-referential claims as the primary proof is considered circular. However, a defense against this charge suggests that the Bible's self-testimony should be considered as initial evidence when forming a hypothesis about its nature. Furthermore, the Bible can be examined as a historical document to understand the beliefs of its authors regarding inspiration, without initially assuming its truthfulness. Ultimately, the Bible's self-claims are not meant to be the only basis for belief, requiring further evaluation and consideration.

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Recognizing Jesus as Lord profoundly shapes a believer's life, impacting personal choices by fostering constant submission to His will in all areas. This leads to seeing obedience not as obligation but as an act of gratitude, guiding daily life with the principle of doing everything in His name. Believers prioritize God's kingdom, seek His wisdom through Scripture and prayer, and strive to live for His glory, finding comfort and hope in His sovereign rule. This recognition transforms lives from self-centeredness to Christ-centeredness, fostering a desire for submission, obedience, and service, leading to a life of constant reformation.

In church worship, Christ's Lordship dictates a Christ-centered focus where all elements point to His person, work, and reign. Worship should be characterized by reverence and joy, with exalting preaching of the Word as Christ speaking. Sacraments serve as seals of His promises, and prayer reflects dependence on His sovereign grace. Liturgical forms should convey His majesty, grounded in doctrinal fidelity as articulated in confessions like the Westminster Confession. Leaders serve with humility under His ultimate authority.

The Puritans comprehensively applied Christ's Lordship to all of life. They held a high view of Scripture as the ultimate authority and emphasized "improving" Christ's Lordship in personal spiritual growth. They believed His rule extended to family governance, raising children in His admonition. Their worship was Christ-centered, influenced by the Westminster Standards, and featured expository preaching on His supremacy. Their reliance on Scripture was strong due to their cessationist views, and they used confessions to maintain the centrality of Christ's Lordship amidst theological debates. They aimed to live under the active and conscious recognition of Jesus Christ as Lord and King in every aspect of life.

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Hans Elgby and his future wife Wendy first met Archie and Grace McCaskell at the annual missions conference at Briercrest Bible Institute. The elderly couple befriended them in the lunch lineup, learning of their aspirations to serve on the mission field. Archie and Grace lived on a farm near Redvers, Saskatchewan, and invited the young couple to visit, marking the beginning of a long friendship.

Archie and Grace were characterized by their unselfish love, genuine care for others, and deep Christian faith. They relied heavily on their faith in Jesus Christ and submitted to God's will through both good times and hardships. Prayer was central to their lives. They were considered "prayer warriors" for Hans and Wendy, and Grace's prayers during Archie's wartime service profoundly impacted their family. Their prayers were also a crucial aspect of their support for the Elgbys' missionary work.

The McCaskells significantly supported missionary work by becoming "rope holders" for Hans and Wendy. This involved providing spiritual support through faithful prayer, offering consistent encouragement and strength, and extending practical assistance such as arranging speaking opportunities and providing financial support. Their genuine interest and care were a constant source of motivation for the Elgbys. Archie and Grace's decades-long friendship and unwavering support exemplified the vital role of those who stand behind and uplift those serving on the front lines of ministry. Their lives left a lasting legacy of faithfulness and selfless service.

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C. S. Lewis describes faith in two senses. The first sense is simply belief, the acceptance of Christian doctrines as true based on reason. However, Lewis notes that emotions and imagination can challenge these reasoned beliefs, creating doubt and instability. He uses analogies like the fear of anaesthetics to illustrate how feelings can contradict our rational understanding. Therefore, faith in this first sense becomes the active effort of holding onto what reason has accepted as true, despite changing moods and emotions. Practices like prayer, religious reading, and church attendance are crucial for nurturing this kind of faith and preventing belief from drifting away.

The second, "higher" sense of faith emerges through humility and the attempt to practice Christian virtues. Seriously trying to be good reveals one's own shortcomings and the strength of temptation, shattering the illusion of earning God's favor. Individuals come to realize that everything they possess is ultimately a gift from God, and attempts to give back are like a child giving a father a present bought with the father's own money. This realization marks a turning point where "real life begins," leading to a deeper understanding of faith as a trusting reliance on God beyond intellectual assent. The transactional or "bargain" mentality towards God is dismantled, paving the way for a more authentic relationship based on grace.

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New birth is a fundamental concept in Christianity, representing a radical spiritual transformation brought about by God's Holy Spirit and His Word. It is deemed absolutely necessary, as Jesus stated that unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. This spiritual rebirth is not merely an outward change but a deep, internal renewal that signifies a right relationship with God and marks the beginning of spiritual life.

This doctrine of new birth is considered the very foundation and fuel of Christian missions. It provides the theological imperative for sharing the Gospel, as it underscores the desperate spiritual state of humanity and the necessity of God's transforming grace for salvation. The experience of being born again ignites a spontaneous desire in believers to share this life-changing truth with others, compelling them to participate in God's mission.

Understanding new birth profoundly shapes missionary identity. Missionaries see themselves as stewards of a supernatural transformation, utterly dependent on God and committed to proclaiming the truth that individuals must be born again. Their character, reflecting true conversion, is considered non-negotiable, serving as a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel.

Furthermore, the doctrine of new birth underscores the crucial roles of prayer and preaching in missions. Because true conversion is a supernatural work, persistent prayer is essential, acknowledging dependence on the Holy Spirit. Equally vital is the uncompromising commitment to preaching God's Word, as this is the primary means by which the Holy Spirit brings about new birth.

Ultimately, missions rooted in the doctrine of new birth aim for the genuine conversion of lost souls and the building of Christ's church. This involves pointing people to Christ, the Lamb of God, with the confidence that the Holy Spirit uses His Word to accomplish this miraculous spiritual regeneration. Missions devoid of a biblical understanding of conversion, prayer, and preaching are considered fundamentally deficient.

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Evangelical humiliation is a profound sense of one's utter spiritual inadequacy, despicableness, and odiousness, accompanied by a corresponding disposition of the heart. It is a work of the Holy Spirit that reveals the beauty of God's holiness, leading to a deep abhorrence of sin and a voluntary self-abasement before God. Unlike legal humiliation, which stems from a natural awareness of God's power and the strictness of the law and can exist without a changed heart, evangelical humiliation is unique to true Christians and transforms their inner being.

This deep humility is the principal component of Christian self-denial, particularly the renunciation of one's own pride, dignity, and self-importance. It's the inward emptying of self that goes beyond merely forsaking worldly pleasures.

Evangelical humiliation stands in direct opposition to spiritual pride, a subtle and dangerous sin characterized by a high conceit of one's own religious attainments and even one's own humility. Counterfeit humility, a manifestation of spiritual pride, often involves outward displays of self-abasement while inwardly harboring self-exaltation and a judgmental attitude towards others.

True evangelical humiliation profoundly shapes a believer's self-perception. They tend to have a low estimation of their own spiritual progress, recognizing their deep dependence on God's grace and the vastness of their remaining sinfulness. This leads to a "poor in spirit" attitude, a willingness to learn, and a modest demeanor in all interactions, reflecting a genuine recognition of their unworthiness before a holy God.

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Evangelical humiliation is a unique sense of utter insufficiency, despicableness, and odiousness experienced by true Christians, originating from the special influence of the Holy Spirit and a recognition of God's transcendent moral beauty. This contrasts with legal humiliation, which can be felt by anyone due to a common awareness of God's power and the strictness of his law, leading to a conviction of sinfulness without a genuine sense of its hateful nature.

True religion hinges on evangelical humiliation, as it underpins the entire gospel and God's dealings with fallen humanity. It is the core of Christian self-denial, involving both renouncing worldly desires and, more importantly, denying self-exaltation and embracing a profound sense of worthlessness. This humility is what God values in his saints, as evidenced by numerous scriptures emphasizing a broken and contrite heart.

Genuine humility manifests in a person thinking their religious attainments are comparatively small, esteeming themselves low among believers, and being more critical of their own pride than that of others. They are disposed to be taught rather than to teach, and their behavior reflects a poorness of spirit, marked by modesty and a willingness to honor others. In contrast, spiritual pride leads individuals to think highly of their religious experiences and their own humility, often displaying a counterfeit humility through outward shows and boastful talk of their supposed abasement. True evangelical humiliation, therefore, fosters a deep and abiding sense of one's own unworthiness in light of God's glory.

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Psalm 6 is presented as a lament of David, a "weeping prophet," penned during a time of great distress, both outwardly and inwardly. The psalm begins with David pouring out his complaints before God, focusing on sickness of body, trouble of mind arising from a sense of sin and God's displeasure, and the insults of his enemies. He earnestly begs God not to rebuke him in His anger or chasten him in His hot displeasure, fearing God's wrath above all else.

David's petitions are multifaceted, including pleas for mercy, pardon for sins, physical healing, deliverance, and the restoration of God's favor. He argues for God's mercy and glory, suggesting that in death, there is no remembrance of God in the same way. He groans and weeps intensely, feeling the heavy weight of sin and God's withdrawal.

However, the psalm takes a notable turn. Having prayed, David experiences a sudden shift to assurance and confidence. He becomes certain that the Lord has heard his prayers and will grant him peace and deliverance. With this newfound assurance, he distances himself from the "workers of iniquity" who had troubled him.

The commentary highlights that David's experience serves as an example for all believers in affliction, encouraging them to bring their troubles to God in prayer. The psalm demonstrates a journey from despair to hope through prayer, emphasizing the importance of humility, repentance, and trust in God's responsiveness. The shift in the psalm underscores the transformative power of prayer and faith, moving from lament to joyful praise and confidence in God's favorable response.

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