We care for the flock as the Lord’s treasured possession, redeemed at the cost of the blood of his Son. Matthew Henry comments: “they are God’s people, and should be treated with love, meekness, and tenderness, for the sake of Him to whom they belong.”   There is a serious shortage of pastors and elders.... Continue Reading

When the situation is dire, the world tells us to look into our hearts. To screw up our courage. To banish our fears. But Christian hope is different. It comes from outside ourselves. It’s a joy that pushes fear into its proper place and keeps it from becoming all-consuming.   Peter Kreeft has a new... Continue Reading

Without the concept of providence, we would miss the comfort, consolation, and joy of knowing that God stands above and beyond all things. He is not an isolated spectator who roots for us.…His purposes cannot be thwarted.   People tend to feel uncomfortable when reading that God from all eternity, immutably and freely, ordains whatsoever... Continue Reading

The Holy Spirit applying the word is ultimately necessary for convincing the person of their sin and only Christ can sanctify the sinner. When pastors forget this truth, that Christ alone saves, they can quickly fall into the messiah complex.   One of the great dangers in the pastorate is that a minister might develop... Continue Reading

Jesus said that “For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:3). And we know that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick…” (Jeremiah 17:9). Evil speech, either spoken or devoured, corrupts the soul.   “Evil speech corrupts us…Our wicked speech can burn down our own lives and... Continue Reading

Nehemiah remembered the Lord and then picked up tools. Boniface trusted Christ and lifted an ax. Carey preached the gospel and labored for reform. Let us pray that God would raise up high agency missionaries in our generation—and let us seek to be such men and women ourselves.   In the book of Nehemiah, when... Continue Reading

If you are brave enough, take a bit of an audit of what is of greatest importance to you. Look at your typical day and where the time goes. What is it that you spend money on? What do you find yourself talking about? If you don’t like what you find, make some changes.   ... Continue Reading

We are called to a life of discipline and labor for our Lord Jesus and His Kingdom. We are not called to seek an easy or comfortable life…If you let comfort replace discipline in your life, there will be unhealthy physical and spiritual consequences.   Searching Google for “the silent killer” reveals that high blood... Continue Reading

When we repent, we will not meet a God who is putting us on spiritual probation.…We will not encounter a God who demands some kind of repayment for all we have squandered. Nothing like that. Only kindness. Grace. Love. Acceptance.   Martin Luther once wrote, ““When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent’, he... Continue Reading

What loss would not merely wound us, but unmake us? The children? The approval? The health? The life we have so carefully constructed? Good gifts, all of them. Terrible gods. Everything else will give way. He will not.   12 Minutes to the Bottom The Atlantic in November is not a place that offers second... Continue Reading