The gospel to the Christian is a thing of power. What is it that makes the young man devote himself as a missionary to the cause of God, to leave father and mother, and go into distant lands? It is a thing of power that does it — it is the gospel.   “But we... Continue Reading

Watson encourages us to have our faces shine with tears of sorrow and joy. Watson says: “[Repenting tears] are beautifying; a tear in the eye doth more adorn than a ring on the finger; oil makes the face to shine, tears make the heart to shine; tears are comforting; a sinner’s mirth turns to melancholy,... Continue Reading

What becomes of all of this? What becomes of the passions we could not explore, the dreams we could not realize, the gifts we could not deploy for the good of others and the glory of God? Why would God give it only to take it away, bestow it only to have it go unused?... Continue Reading

Aaron is a walking, talking tabernacle. Did you get that? He is wearing the colours of the holy place, his ephod made essentially in the same way the tabernacle’s tent was. The high priest is part of the tabernacle.   Jesus in the Tabernacle VI Next the narrative moves through two sections I included earlier... Continue Reading

There are two colossal issues with the self-help industry. First, like mentioned above, it places the self at the center of the universe. In order to help self, one must place self first. Second, it only helps at the surface level and doesn’t get down to the most fundamental problem of humans: sin.   Self-help... Continue Reading

Don’t we feel that same pressure in a multicultural society.  It can feel hard, costly, to challenge the assumptions of our society that any spirituality is good, any god is more or less the same, all truths are true, and so on.  But who you worship, who is God, is not a lifestyle choice.  ... Continue Reading

So I’ve seen terrible leaders who shred others, use position for their own gain, who privately destroy the lives of ministry colleagues, whose insecurities lead them to say and do things that they would – and do – preach and write against. And it’s easy to hide that idolatry with all that worship going on... Continue Reading

When we follow God, contrary to the culture, but transformed by His word, God’s power is put on display. He is the One who gets all the credit for any fruit that you see. Why do people come to our church? Not because of the music (even though I’m partial to it). Not because of... Continue Reading

This life, and these blessings, are given to Christ’s people upon regeneration in this life, albeit here only in part. This is part of the “incorruptible seed” spoken of by Peter (1 Pet. 1:23), that will come to its full and perfect bloom in the next life. It is the life of Christ, lived with... Continue Reading

How then is the kingdom of God in the midst of these unbelieving, soon-to-be homicidal Pharisees? The kingdom of God was in their midst because the King of that kingdom was among them. He had fulfilled prophecies and done miracles before them, proving that He was the Messiah and rightful ruler. Now when He was... Continue Reading

Many in our world say, “hate your enemies and destroy their lives.” Jesus taught us to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). He models this in His dying moments as He petitions God to forgive the very people putting Him to death. Learning from biblical prayers is a great... Continue Reading

For Jesus, Scripture wasn’t simply a collection of laws, stories, proverbs, and psalms. He read the Bible as a coherent narrative about who God is, who we are as human beings, and what God’s purposes are for the world. And he made the staggering claim that all of it, in some way, points to himself.... Continue Reading

We must also realize that a virtue, such as agape love, is not something you simply constantly do 24/7 to the point of exhausting yourself completely unless, as was Christ’s case, God calls you to empty yourself to the point of death in a particular moment. After all, the paragon of agape love, Jesus, demonstrated... Continue Reading

God’s Word could not be clearer. Our sexuality is created by God for His glory. If we love and fear God, if we have been made right with God through Jesus Christ, we will submit our sexuality to God. We will repent of sexual immorality and seek sexual purity according to God’s plan.   If... Continue Reading

If the offended God, who is holy and perfect, can extend His grace (His ill-deserved favor) to sinners like us, then what should we, the recipients of such grace, extend to those who have sinned against us? Are we full of His deep grace?   To be gracious is nice, attractive, and pleasant. But to... Continue Reading

Yet beneath the city’s beauty, signs of brokenness were visible everywhere—homeless people on the streets, refugee families with babies seeking assistance, and crowds gathering for riots and protests—reminding me that this is the world that “is” at the moment, beautiful, but also broken and deeply wounded by the cosmic plague of sin.  While shopping in... Continue Reading

The only hope any of us have of growing in our obedience, of being more like David when he lived by faith and not by sight, is not by trying to be like David in our own strength but rather, in reliance on the Holy Spirit, trusting in the Christ to whom David pointed and... Continue Reading

Rejecting a literal, historical Adam—or some of the details about him and Eve— undermines the authority of Scripture and has enormous theological and moral implications. The historical last Adam came to solve the real, historical problem caused by the historical first Adam.     In recent years, in an effort to harmonize the evolutionary story... Continue Reading

The officers of the church will take the lead in the great task given for holy service and witness bearing, for better or for worse. May the Lord grant His bride qualified men to guide her well, and may He give the members grace to identify them.   To all the saints in Christ Jesus... Continue Reading

For those who hold to the spiritual view of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus is truly present, and these benefits are truly enjoyed by means of the Holy Spirit and believer’s union with Christ.   In Matthew 26:26-28 Jesus spoke a few simple words that have been the cause of a great many differences between Christians.... Continue Reading

Have we not looked at the stars to realize our smallness? Have we not stared at the ocean, contemplating our powerlessness? Yet, a hundred times more, when we stare at the picture of Calvary, our life issues all begin to fade, the want of heaven and eternal glorification grow, and the marvelous nature of our... Continue Reading

Male leadership in family, church, and society is firmly rooted in God’s creational intention and design. This leadership is not, in the first instance, a result of the fall, though the fall is also a part of the equation. Paul’s grounding of male authority in 1 Timothy 2 in the creation account in Genesis 1–2,... Continue Reading

We can all praise God when people are healed of various diseases and illnesses. But we can also praise God when that is not the outcome. Our faith rests not in our circumstances but in a loving and gracious God who is still on the throne.   There are some understandings of the sorts of... Continue Reading

Throughout the pages of the Bible, whether law or history or poetry or prophecy or gospel or letter, death is a fixation far more common than in our lives today. For biblical authors an awareness of death and its implications for life is crucial for a life of wisdom.   An Unpleasant Topic When is... Continue Reading

The very fact that you are concerned about the presence of sin and that you fight against it is only possible because you have been released from the dominion of sin and have been brought into the reign of the Lord Jesus Christ.   If I’m united to Christ, why do I still sin? Let... Continue Reading

The image of God is still apparent in the Chinese people, but these tough times bring out the worst in the people’s sinful natures. I have focused all of my training, teaching, and church relationships on encouraging the church to be bold to evangelize and serve the sufferers.  It is only with the Gospel of... Continue Reading

Israel as a nation never did fully drive out the Canaanites but was enticed to follow them in their sin again and again under the old covenant. Nevertheless, God in His grace preserved a faithful line in Israel. From that line, He sent Jesus, the true Israel of God, who by His person and work... Continue Reading

Strengthen your heart first, then inquire of God. Looking to God for the next step may take many forms, including seeking the help of others. At a minimum it includes prayer. It is a known fact seen repeatedly in the Bible that God loves to hear and respond to the desperate prayers of His own... Continue Reading

Pastoral ministry is a sacred calling that requires profound discernment and a deep sense of responsibility. It isn’t merely a career. As we reflect on what it means to be called to ministry, it becomes clear that discerning one’s call is essential for faithfully stewarding the weighty task of shepherding God’s people.   The Christian... Continue Reading

If you have grown forgetful of God’s love for you, never forget that we deserve the same hell that will be experienced by those who reject God. Contrast their existence without God with the grace you have received, and continue doing this until your heart wells up with gratitude.  He truly loves his children.  ... Continue Reading