Yearning for Heaven: Shifting Our Paradigm
"Heavenward" by Cameron Cole
I share Cole’s desire that we live with eager expectation, longing for our resurrection into the age to come in the new heaven and the new earth (Rev 21:1). But Cole’s pervasive language of ‘heaven’ often confused me. Although he acknowledges our ultimate future is resurrected bodies in a new creation (13–14), he usually refers... Continue Reading
The Depth of Our Depravity
Our sin is what pushes us to God.
We were created to live in dependency upon God. This was not added because of man’s fall. It was how we were designed so that we would forever live in union with our Creator. Our sin explains why we are separated from God, and our separation from God explains our continuing, increasing sin. Without Him... Continue Reading
A Biblical Case for the Christian Principles of Voting
Everyone in authority is accountable to God to do what they can, according to their power and position, to uphold the moral law of God.
Wherever there is a choice between candidates, where one of those candidates, if elected, will clearly do more to uphold the moral law of God to protect the good and punish evil, you have a moral obligation before God to vote for that candidate. That is how you exercise your God-given authoritative position as voter,... Continue Reading
On Humility
On knowing God and self.
As William Law (1698-1761), the English author of A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life once put it: “Humility is nothing else but a right judgment of ourselves.” That’s it. True humility is knowing who we really are, in the light of knowing God as he really is. Not only that, but when... Continue Reading
Natural Disaster and Pastoral Comfort
Though the sufferer is brought low and will often struggle though immense pain and loss, there is a realistic hope for him.
God intends either discipline or testing by what is suffered, and both produce the good of improved sanctification.[29] We are not allowed to take “natural calamity” out of that package of necessary suffering for the believer. God in His providential care designs the calamity as a blessing in sometimes macabre dress. We are to “consider it... Continue Reading
Godly Parenting as a Witness to the World
The goal of godly parenting is not just to raise well-behaved children, but to raise children who know, love, and serve the Lord.
The Apostle Paul writes, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Both the negative (discipline) and the positive (instruction) are in view here. Disciplining and teaching children involve more than just passing on biblical knowledge or enforcing rules. It means... Continue Reading
The Uncarnation of Christ?
The devil loves to see people live with an uncarnate “Christ.” Live from the incarnation with the incarnate One. Jesus is real.
We need the truth about Jesus, but not without Jesus himself. Who would ever settle for accuracies of a friend and yet never experience friendship? Systematic theology, which we love, doesn’t love us in return. But Jesus loves us. The doctrine of the virgin birth cannot comfort us when the news of cancer hits home—but... Continue Reading
Digital Discipleship for Your Children (5) Addiction to Distraction
If you allow your child’s diet to be all the sugar of Disney, Facebook, X, TikTok, Instagram, etc., you will have a hard time getting them to eat the meat of God’s Word.
True reality is not found in the mere visual. “For we walk by faith, not by sight”. Christian imagination enables us to experience hoped-for things as substantial, and things not seen as if they are evidentially present (Hebrews 11:1). Biblical imagination actually prioritises words over images. It focuses on the meaning of words, particularly God’s... Continue Reading
The Ordinary Means of Ordinary Outreach: Reaching Our World without Losing Our Way, Part 2: Sacrament
I pray that the Lord will use His people’s zeal for the sacraments to kindle a quickening jealousy in the hearts of the lost, leading them to Christ’s saving mercies.
Our secular world tells us to look inside ourselves so that we might find the good within, but at the Lord’s Table, we are asked to examine ourselves so that we might find our weakness and sin so that we might be taught to rely more and more upon Christ’s sacrifice, which becomes more endearing... Continue Reading
Holiness in an Age of Worldliness
If you want a place with singing, celebration, joy and feasting, then live for the place where you get all those things forever.
The temptation to do whatever it takes to be prosperous is very strong. It is a kind of magic spell that beautiful Babylon puts over us. It’s like a potion that dulls our spiritual senses so we cannot fathom living any other way. Babylonian worldliness leads people to trust in their prosperity. It perpetuates the myth... Continue Reading
A Different Kind Of Grief: The Story Of The Man Who Shaped Me
My father and I shared a bond built on respect, love, and a mutual commitment to our Christian faith.
For many, grief brings despair, anger, or fear. Yet, my father’s passing hasn’t stirred those emotions in me. He lived his life with nothing left unsaid or undone. My four brothers, sister, and mother—his wife of 66 years—feel the same. We didn’t face his death with regret or unfinished business. We shared the rare gift... Continue Reading
Distracted Worship
How frequently do we mentally "check out," not realizing that every ignored sermon, skipped reading, and lukewarm worship service violates this commandment?
It’s easy to think, “Well, I’ve never bowed before a golden calf. I’ve never kneeled before a shrine.” But idolatry isn’t just about tangible images; it’s about worshiping God in ways He hasn’t commanded. Every time we sit through a sermon and let our minds wander, playing with our phones during worship, or when we’re... Continue Reading
My Story and the Book of Hosea: The Grace of Exposed Sin
Even as you see how deeply sinful you are, trust the Lord and his goodness as you walk through the painful grace of exposed sin.
Like Adam and Eve in the garden, I found myself scrambling for the nearest fig leaves to cover my nakedness. But being in the hand of the Lord is the safest place. It is God’s disciplining grace that exposes our sinfulness so that we will be cleansed, purified, and conformed into the image of Christ.... Continue Reading
“Who Shall Keep the Keepers?”: Churches and Pastoral Accountability
Having seen so many waver on gospel orthodoxy and embrace theological liberalism, Spurgeon came to treasure this truth even more: a faithful minister was a truly a gift from God.
Those who lament the declension of many among the present professed ministry should cry day and night unto the Lord to bless his people with pastors after his own heart. Let them also see to it that they walk wisely towards those they have. It behoves established believers to bear their testimony faithfully, but kindly,... Continue Reading
Why Is Baptism a Means of Grace?
As a means of grace, baptism becomes effectual in the lives of the elect by the sovereign regeneration of the Holy Spirit.
Many refer to baptism as “an outward sign of an inward profession of faith.” While professing believers and their children certainly receive baptism as a mark of discipleship (Matt. 28:18–20; 1 Cor. 7:14) in obedience to Jesus, the covenant sign is not first and foremost pointing to something we have done. Rather, it is the... Continue Reading
Watch Out for Weeds
We shouldn’t just ask, “How do I do all of these things?” We should ask, “Are these the things I am convinced are the things worth doing?”
Life gets in the way. Good intentions don’t always lead to good, godly practices. The things we ideally should be doing don’t get done and we cultivate weeds and not valuable plants. Busyness is not a mark of importance. Weeds have been dominating my garden lately. I have all kinds of beautiful plants I... Continue Reading
The Greatest Gift My Father Gave Me
May God strengthen us to instruct, that our little ones learn the way of wisdom, and that by it they may live.
To be a parent is to be a teacher. Have times of both organized and organic Biblical learning in your home. This isn’t novel stuff, but simple steps in accomplishing a miraculous source in the life of our children, cultivating the Word of God to keep them walking in the wisdom of God. One... Continue Reading
Parents, Know and Defend Your Rights
Christians urgently need to understand what has happened to children in Colorado.
The Wailes and Roller families recently joined with another family to enlist the legal help of Alliance Defending Freedom. They filed a lawsuit against JeffCo for refusing to give parents truthful, pertinent information about their children’s overnight accommodations, thus hampering the rights of parents to make informed decisions about their children’s upbringing, education, and privacy.... Continue Reading
A Renewed Mind, a Transformed Life
The renewed mind is marked by a reliance on the Bible, the only infallible rule for faith and practice.
Through the light of Scripture, we begin to understand God’s holy character and realize our sinfulness—learning all that was lost in Eden, and discovering why we long to return from exile to the Father’s fellowship. That leads us to turn in repentance and look with joy to the redemption found only in the Lord Jesus... Continue Reading
Training in Godliness
Over time, godly habits will change your life in many ways.
All of us need to train for godliness. It doesn’t matter if you are a new Christian or if you have been a believer for fifty years. All of us need to work on building godly habits of Bible reading and prayer. We need to confess our specific sins and actively work on loving God... Continue Reading
10 Puritans Who Changed the World: John Flavel, the Preacher of Providence
Who Was John Flavel?
Flavel was flexible, resilient, and persevering amid suffering. When he could not preach, he wrote. For example, during the persecution of Nonconformists in the 1670s and early 1680s, Flavel published at least nine books, including A Token for Mourners, The Touchstone of Sincerity, The Method of Grace, and Treatise on the Soul of Man. Flavel’s Mystery of Providence is perhaps the... Continue Reading
Eloquence and the Heart, Part 2
Eloquence, Gift or Art?
Who deserves the presence and the empowerment of the third person of the Godhead? We surely can do nothing to merit His blessing. “God doesn’t use people because they are gifted. He uses people (even preachers) because he is gracious… If we do believe (this), then we will pray – we will pray before we... Continue Reading
The Importance of a God-Centred Doctrine of Sin
A deficient doctrine of sin reveals a Christian worldview that is insufficiently shaped by what God has spoken through Scripture.
It is crucial to work towards a view of God and his world that is shaped by the revelation that God has given to us. Failing to do this will result in us being formed instead by the foundational assumptions of our culture, in which humanity is exalted and God is marginalised. One of... Continue Reading
The Perspective of a Godly, Wise Man
When a man humbly submits to God's will for his life and embraces God's sovereignty, everything changes.
Such a man realizes that God oversees everything in his life, and even the worst and hardest events can produce a redemptive purpose. He works all things together for good. Any bitterness or anger at God or man can be laid aside as we see what God is doing. How we see things is most... Continue Reading
Habitual Communities
Embedding Habits III
I want to argue that there is a sort of Christian community that can be found whenever you gather with Christians and that habitual elements of this also teach us that all of life is meant to be about following Christ. Most British Christians find this concept off-putting. If I were to suggest that the group... Continue Reading
Alleviating Fear
How do You Overcome Fear?
If you have fear in any area, there is one remedy. In prayer and the reading of the Word, listen to God. Let Him remind you of His promises (there are 7,000 in the Bible) and give you direction for your life. And then believe Him. Everybody has fear. Fear is that anxiety that... Continue Reading
Am I Double-Minded?
James uses the term “double-minded” to refer to religious hypocrites.
To be double-minded is to break the first great command to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (Deut. 6:5; Matt. 22:37–38). The double-minded aren’t fully committed to God; they don’t truly love him with their whole selves. We strive for perfection in our spiritual disciplines. Doesn’t Jesus himself say, “Be perfect,... Continue Reading
Eloquence and the Preaching of the Gospel, Part 1
Paul asked the church of Colossians to pray for him so that he would communicate the truth of the Gospel clearly and persuasively.
The power[14] comes from the gospel message itself, not any manmade formulations. Hence Paul’s consistent emphasis on the content of his message: “We preach Christ” (1 Cor. 1:23). “Him we proclaim” (Col. 1:28). “What we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord” (2 Cor. 4:5). “To me . . . this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable... Continue Reading
We Need to Give the True God True Worship
Our worship must have the stamp of God’s spiritual nature.
There must be a conformity between God and souls. This is the great purpose of the gospel, to repair the image of God which was originally on man, and make him like God again. Now, this is the way that Jesus Christ repairs this image, and brings about this conformity with God. As the soul worships... Continue Reading
The Fathered Universe
Everything around you is intensely personal because of who God is.
By default, we tend to see the world around us as unfathered. We live our waking days in the dreamland of God’s absence. And that’s hard on us, isn’t it? It’s hard to live with a lie. It’s hard to walk through life as if God hasn’t fathered-forth the beauty around us—because he has. I... Continue Reading