During this Advent season we are reminded that in glory the Lord Jesus—our Messiah—does not stand alone; He is surrounded by a multitude whom no one can number, a multitude that sing the endless Hallelujahs before his throne. As we long to join that worship and look eagerly for His coming, Christians can find great... Continue Reading

We should be slow to accuse God of being unjust or not caring for justice because our life does not look the way we want it to at the moment. God does care, more than we ever could, about justice. We see that not only in the natural world, of course, but in what God has... Continue Reading

If we’re honest, our hearts are prone to wander. We return to false hopes because they seem tangible and immediate. We trust in money, achievements, or relationships to fill the void. That’s why God, in His mercy, sent His Son—not just to show us the way, but to be our hope.   It is no... Continue Reading

Because the church doesn’t exist for you, it’s somewhat easier to find the right one. God should be central in the life of any local church. His greater glory should be its mission. So too should be the aim of every believer.   We all desire a church that would make us feel comfortable. A... Continue Reading

God actively wrestles with us. He’ll hold us at arms-length (still graciously hanging onto us) and letting us swing ourselves dry. And then in those moments, when we’re but a heap of tears and helplessness, He makes himself “grabbable.” He makes Himself able to be held onto and able to hear us cry out for... Continue Reading

You and I are exactly as holy as we want to be. We are exactly as holy as we’ve determined we will be through every opportunity to act righteously or sinfully, to move forward or fall back, to be more like Christ or to forsake him altogether.   Every Christian is a work in progress.... Continue Reading

Jesus Christ came lowly to save you from your sin and filthiness. He became dirty and low on this earth so that you might be clean and elevated. He took on your flesh and he took on the punishment for your sin, so that you might be a child of God. God became man, so... Continue Reading

During Advent, then, we remember with great joy that Jesus came to a world of folly to show us how to live with wisdom from God. When we follow his paths—when we listen to his teaching—we gradually become more and more like him, the true Wise One from on high.   O come, O Wisdom... Continue Reading

Our tragic mortality never feels so real as when a parent or spouse or child dies. Losing my father left me feeling untethered….And nothing can fix this untethered-ness. Nothing can repair the loss that death deals out in cruel doses. Nothing, that is, except resurrection and the death-defeating love of Christ.   In the summer... Continue Reading

God’s knowledge reaches to our thoughts, desires, intents, and inclinations….The God “who knows the heart” (Acts 15:8) knows the sin of all people, and they will give an account for their disobedience to Him. But there is hope and comfort for all who believe in Jesus Christ because God’s covenant promise is to “remember their sin... Continue Reading