Apparently, we depend on God in every possible way, not just as physical life requires. We cannot hold the simplest thought together without God. We cannot value rightly without God. We cannot see anything as really beautiful apart from his light shining into our hearts and minds. Break free? Of God? Let us rather rejoice in... Continue Reading

God was involved in the details of David’s life in a way that seems almost prosaic, and far different from our experience. It is one thing for God to thunder from the heights of Sinai, but quite another for Him to tell David which way to circle around the mulberry trees. Does a passage like... Continue Reading

Did we help? Did we have an impact? We are never the best judges of the effectiveness or ultimate meaning of our service. We must simply follow where God leads, through good report and bad, trusting him to use what He chooses for His glory.   In 1987 I was serving as minister of a... Continue Reading

Raising godly children is a complex task requiring the best efforts of both parents. Men and women are given different attributes, preferences, and gifts that are intended to display part of the picture of God to their children. Together dad and mom are to present a full-orbed picture of our loving, nurturing, holy, and just... Continue Reading

a   Charles Spurgeon was one of the most important Christian leaders of the Victorian-era and, his wife Susannah (Susie) must figure into any estimation of his significance. Charles himself recognized her value when he wrote that he not only loved Susie but also that she was “necessary” to him. Susie supported Charles unwaveringly, setting... Continue Reading

Storms come for us all. We can face them with terror or with faith, with unbelief or with belief. If Christ be near, unbelief must be far. The nearness of Jesus drives away doubts. Darkness flees his presence. The question is, have we drawn near to him?   I love words. I’m always fascinated by... Continue Reading

Nearly every commentator and overview article highlights a number of major themes that receive exceptional emphasis in Luke’s gospel: the poor, women, Gentiles, outsiders, prayer, the word, and the Holy Spirit. The charges against Paul explain why these themes mattered so much to Luke.   Last week, I presented evidence from both Acts and Luke... Continue Reading

The church today lacks a full commitment to God’s Word. While the church and her leaders (pastors in local churches) today often talk about marketing, programs, and other ideologies as opposed to the need for true revival. The clear commitment to God’s Word has been abandoned. The principle of sola Scriptura has been replaced with... Continue Reading

Be honest, how many of your prayers start and end with thoughts about the glory of God? How many of the things you ask the Lord to do are to serve his glory? Now there are things in the everyday life of the believer that, should we ask the Lord for them and should he... Continue Reading

A covenant theology is a churchly theology. Covenant theology draws the Christian into the church as the Christ-confessing covenant community, where burdens are shared, prayers are offered together, where the Word is preached, and the sacraments (baptism and the Lord’s Supper) are administered. The church is important but she is not the Lord. She is... Continue Reading