Spurgeon did not shrink back from criticisms, but persevered in doing his best, looking to God, not man, for blessing. And God did bless his preaching beyond what he could have imagined. Reflecting on what God accomplished during his short two years, Spurgeon writes, “In a short time, the little thatched chapel was crammed, the... Continue Reading

Paul is able to tell the Colossians, ‘Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh, I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church’ (Col 1.24). The apostle wasn’t for a moment suggesting there was something deficient in the... Continue Reading

Our guilt does not just lie in our lusts, our pride, our lying tongues, our exchanging of God’s glory, but in Adam’s. Our champion bent the knee without drawing enemy blood, and because of that first delicious bite, we his children still taste the curse. We have ourselves, in our own unregenerate lives, affirmed our... Continue Reading

I’ve had conversations with abortion-choice advocates for two decades, and they often deny the unborn are bona fide human beings. Instead, they refer to them as an “it,” a “fetus,” a “clump of cells,” an “unwanted pregnancy,” or—if they’re generous—a “potential human.” All their language, however, is the same. It’s dehumanizing. It’s also a lie. Maybe... Continue Reading

Simon Peter, of all the Apostles, should have understood the truth of the reconciliation of Jews and gentiles in Christ because he was the one to whom God had given the vision of the sheet with the clean and unclean animals (Acts 10:9–16; 11:4–17). However, when Peter purposefully separated himself and refused to eat with... Continue Reading

Lawlessness in our society is tragic. But what is worse is the failure and even complicity of so many Christians in the face of it. In their responses they have, as Paul puts it, an appearance of godliness that denies its power (v. 3:5). True godliness unashamedly declares what God has said and it does... Continue Reading

If our corporate worship is going to properly form our relationship with God, then we must be sure that the elements of our worship come from the Word of God. And God has given us the elements of worship that he has designed to best build our relationship with him. Paul commands Timothy, in the... Continue Reading

If our intention is to persuade others that what we mean is true, why would we camp out on a phrase so open to misinterpretation and that is frequently misheard as saying something altogether different? People may use whatever language they choose to use and it is not for the rest of us to dictate... Continue Reading

David complained about his context but remembered God’s goodness. In Psalm 142, he is weak and exhausted and isolated. The walls of the cave feel like they are closing in on him as he voices his complaint to the Lord. Yet at the end of the Psalm he affirms that God is his shelter and... Continue Reading

No longer the minister trying to imagine an unseen congregation (trusting they’ve all tuned in!) and thinking his way round their faces as he preaches to a camera. No more of not seeing those who worship with us. Or maybe not.     For many of us—depending on where you are—either you have been or you soon... Continue Reading