Sentimental art appeals to human vanity, self-centredness, and egotism. Kitsch is where humans go to indulge the love of self, and to escape into worlds of their own making. Kitsch trades in the familiar, the easy, the shallow, and the childish, because these appeal to what is most selfish in all.   The topic of... Continue Reading

Each person we see, day by day, represents a soul that will spend all of eternity in Heaven or Hell; and I have grown way too comfortable putting my head down, “minding my own business,” and thinking it is someone else’s job to reach that particular soul with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.  ... Continue Reading

Those who think an honest look at our messy church history, with all its conflicts, disagreements, and outright misconducts, might be discouraging to our children need to think again. The reason why the Bible is such a comforting book in spite of all the messiness it reveals is that it keeps bringing us back to... Continue Reading

Danger ought not to be pleaded as an excuse for staying away from church—not at least without very good reason. Christians throughout history have been in the very same place as we are: danger has been a reality for them too, but it has not stopped them from meeting. It ought not to stop us.... Continue Reading

But is it really likely that our Lord would commend James and John for being hotheads by giving them a nickname in honor of their short tempers? I think not. But if not, what did he have in mind when he dubbed them Sons of Thunder?   As for the likeness of the living creatures,... Continue Reading

Scripture clearly warns us that there will be times when people who are called by God’s Name will quit listening to the actual words of God and will instead seek guidance and affirmation from other sources—even myths—all the while thinking they are hearing from the Lord.   They shall wander from sea to sea, and... Continue Reading

If our need is to number our days by contrasting their shortness with the eternal nature of God, then our prayer to God is that He would teach us: “Teach us to number our days.” We will never learn that lesson in our own strength.   Teach us to number our days that we may... Continue Reading

The sad reality is more and more church members are indicating that even after COVID is no longer a threat, they would prefer to keep watching church online. Their couch and their coffee seem to be too much to sacrifice. Besides, with the world raging around us, our home feels safer, but being safe is... Continue Reading

Pastors need to be aware of the formidable tool that God has given us to teach his people—namely, the power of music and song. Our people may quickly forget the finer details of our sermons, but they will be humming the melody of that song long into their Sunday afternoon and Monday morning.   How... Continue Reading

Children, like all of us, come to believe through a work of sovereign grace. But God has ordained instruction to be a primary means of directing children onto the path of righteousness and wisdom (Prov. 1:1–7). The sacred writings are able to impart the wisdom that leads to salvation (2 Tim. 3:14–15). It is the... Continue Reading