What gets rewarded is God’s gracious work in and through us as faithful (yet imperfect) stewards of His grace (Philippians 2:12–13; Hebrews 13:20–21). In that sense, Augustine was right: “God crowns His own gifts.” May He give us grace to be wise stewards until we receive Him as our blessed reward (WCF 7.1).   Perhaps... Continue Reading

God’s providence ensures that we will be exposed and have access to the books that make up the canon. The attributes of canonical books allow us to then distinguish and identify canonical books from all other currently accessible books. The internal testimony of the Holy Spirit then guides us in correctly identifying these attributes.  ... Continue Reading

It’s easy to fall into the trap of the conventionally humdrum “worship service,” giving little thought to the extemporaneous beauty that becomes a reality when we properly behold the holiness of God. We don’t have to work up some frenzied performance to appease God; we just need to come in faith and truth offering our... Continue Reading

Technology itself isn’t the enemy. It’s a powerful tool that can be used for good or for ill. The goal isn’t simply to limit screen time, though that may be part of the solution. The real objective is to train our children to engage wisely with technology, think critically about what they encounter, and stay... Continue Reading

Protecting the sheep requires discernment. Some people’s faith is thrown in doubt by false teaching, others are in on the verge of losing their faith altogether and need saving, others have gone even further and embraced the sin that inevitably flows from false teaching. Our response to each different group and individual is to be... Continue Reading

Take up the words of David, Psalm 5:3: “My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up.” Oh, what surprises of goodness and grace God has in store for you and me, if only we would pray without ceasing!   It’s important for... Continue Reading

Of course, Rousseau is not responsible for the evil of others, but his ideas did provide justification for some of the worst villains in human history. That is why it’s so important to study ideas, including bad ones.   A meme on social media quotes my colleague Glenn Sunshine as saying, “If I had a... Continue Reading

Learn the lesson of the Amorite kings’ folly. One lie about sin is that sinning against the Lord is safe. Our efforts against him will fail. Any refuge other than God is futile.   When Joshua and the Israelites were defeating the five Amorite armies in Joshua 10, the leaders of those five armies fled.... Continue Reading

The answer is yes. And such a conviction fits consistently inside a plausible philosophical structure that realistically corresponds to our experience of the world and addresses the most important questions of our lives. Indeed, more than fitting into that philosophical structure, the resurrection of Jesus the Christ is the cornerstone, the linchpin, the loadstar in... Continue Reading

Discipline is not a secondary issue. It is Heaven’s dividing line whereby a church either proves its allegiance—or exposes its apostasy. Churches that refuse Christ’s command of discipline will soon find themselves disciplined by Christ, as their lampstand is confiscated (Revelation 2:5).   I. The King’s Command: Christ’s Mandate for Correction In the life of... Continue Reading