God is promising through the prophet Ezekiel, six centuries before Jesus, that a time is coming when there will be a transformative new beginning, characterized by spectacular cleansing symbolized by water that washes away all impurities and idols, and by the powerful gift of the Spirit that transforms the hearts of people. That is what... Continue Reading

If our desire is to keep our views private, then there are wider problems about our view of the Christian life. There should be no distinction between our public and private lives. If that is true, let Google listen to what they may.   Google—much like Amazon before them—has recently admitted that “contractors” can access... Continue Reading

The Northampton pastor compels his hearers to remember the sweet and sometimes forgotten promises of Scripture. The “mustard seed” that fights to grow here will surely grow into “a great tree” in eternity. The soul that fought to taste the love of God in this earth but battled bitterly against besetting sin, hurtful situations, and... Continue Reading

Feast on the wealth of wisdom from these fellow pastors! Admit yourselves under these doctors of the soul. Take these truths, and boundless more, and press them on your heart, until you see afresh the weight of your calling and the sweetness of your Christ.   We scarcely need to add to the existing praise... Continue Reading

Christians are fascinated and enthralled with the transcendent glory of God’s grace and love. But they are equally captivated, with a slightly different effect, by his holiness and justice and purity.   A Habitual Attitude There is no holiness or Christian life that does not have repentance at its core. Repentance is not merely one... Continue Reading

Ultimately, evangelism is less about the method one uses and more about the message one proclaims. Evangelism, remember, is the proclamation of the gospel—telling the story, announcing the news. Some fear that they don’t know enough to evangelize. I say, “Tell them what you do know.”   Many Christians go their entire lives without being... Continue Reading

When you’re in the fire it isn’t really the time to interpret. You just hang on for dear life and unashamedly cling to the goodness of God. You won’t be giving an account about how well you interpreted God’s actions. But we will be held to account for how we clung to Jesus even when... Continue Reading

She had been sent to the abbey as a baby, she said, to be raised by her aunt, the abbess. When she turned twelve, she was forced to take the veil, in spite of her repeated protests. With time, her wisdom and abilities promoted her to the role of abbess, but her sentiments never changed.... Continue Reading

Although William Perkins wrote over 400 years ago, he offers us wisdom in an era that sustains polemics, controversy, and discernment blogging. By listening to this great divine, we can discern three contemporary rules for engaging in theological polemics.    William Perkins (1558–1602) grew up in the aftermath of the Council of Trent, becoming a... Continue Reading

Those of us who don’t enjoy conflict come up with a bevy of rationalizations to avoid the difficult conversation we know deep down we ought to have. Maybe we’ll make it worse. We might hurt someone’s feelings. It might “change the relationship,” so to speak. Or we just don’t want someone to get angry with... Continue Reading