If David’s deep woes enabled him to share in all Israel’s pangs, how much better equipped is Jesus as your sympathetic High Priest: Jesse’s Son’s sorrows are but a drop in the ocean of Christ’s ‘Marianas Trench’ of tears – His life-long tunnel turned ink-black at the Cross. He has tailor-made grace to fit and... Continue Reading

When we won’t forgive fellow humans we are telling God that they have wronged us more than we have wronged God. In other words, we look like fools who have misunderstood the Gospel. Any offense we face in this life at the hands of fellow humans is nowhere near as significant as our offense against... Continue Reading

After Nicholas’s sudden death in 1579, Anne devoted more time to the needs of the Church of England, denouncing the lack of qualified preachers. In 1583, she intervened in defense of Puritan preachers who had been deprived of their ministry by John Whitgift, the current archbishop of Canterbury. She wrote letters and used her family... Continue Reading

Neither parable minimizes the cost. In fact, both draw attention to it: literally, “all things, as much he has.” There is a cost — a great cost — to this discipleship. But the Discipler, who is himself the Treasure, so far outstrips the cost that we gladly say, “Gain!” This one great pearl is so... Continue Reading

Grumbling grows because it hardens our hearts. Grumbling presumes to put God to the test. It scrutinises God. It questions his goodness. We become the judge and God is in the dock. Grumbling puts God on trial and finds him guilty. “He has failed to deliver the life I want … I deserve more than... Continue Reading

Last month, only 20% of Democrats said they were pro-life.  This month the number has jumped to 34%.  The effect is even greater among young Democrats, those under 45.  Last months, 28% said they were pro-life. Today 47% say that they are pro-life. But even lots of pro-choicers oppose abortion in the last three months... Continue Reading

How am I truly loving my neighbors? How am I living out God’s Kingdom rather than my own kingdom? How are my reactions to people shaped by my personal, American views rather than God’s view of people when I think they shouldn’t be doing something? I’m hoping you also think a little bit about these questions:... Continue Reading

The Bible is full of more surprises. God calls a man named Abram from the city of Ur in Genesis 12. He tells him to leave home and go somewhere that God will show him. We are left asking ourselves: Who is this Abram? How did he come into the picture? Where is God taking him? We are... Continue Reading

Thrown into a pit by his own brothers and then enslaved to Egypt, he faced not only the physical suffering of brutal slave labor (at least in the early years), but he also suffered the mental and emotional trauma that comes from being abandoned by his family. No doubt he spent many days and nights... Continue Reading

The bill would have required health-care providers to “exercise the same degree of professional skill, care, and diligence to preserve the life and health of the child’ as he or she would to ‘any other child born alive at the same gestational age.”  The bill also provided for criminal penalties and the right of the... Continue Reading