Just as Peter graphically described returning to sin as a dog eating its vomit and a pig wallowing in mire (2 Pet 2:22), Jude likewise shows us the ugliness of sin as excremental filth on our inner clothing. When showing mercy to those affected by false teaching, or even to the false teachers themselves, we... Continue Reading

When God expects something of Christians, he provides what they need to meet his expectation. There’s an important implication, and it’s this: If you are not exhibiting sexual self-control, it’s only because you haven’t taken hold of what God offers you through the gospel. The power is there; you’ve just refused to exercise it.  ... Continue Reading

Knowing firsthand your flock’s misguided financial, career, and familial hopes will help you know how to preach. It will help you pick the right texts and the right emphases in explicating those texts. This is what makes preaching a ministry, and not simply an exercise.   The preacher paced the stage, staring earnestly out into... Continue Reading

Throughout the book of Acts, God uses prayer as a means to achieve His ends. In almost every case, prayer precedes powerful works. First, prayer precedes the filling of the Holy Spirit. The coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2:3 is directly tied to the devoted prayer of the disciples in Acts 1:14. Luke... Continue Reading

Heaven is saturated with the manifestations of God’s attributes. His goodness, beauty, power, majesty, are all radiating from him and are clearly visible in all aspects of heaven’s design and construction. The earth and heavens that we know today will pass away (2 Peter 3:1–12) and will be replaced by the eternal heaven. There will be... Continue Reading

Love, in many cases, is a weapon. If not a weapon, then a bargaining chip. It’s something that we hold back, waiting for another person to warrant it. It’s ironic to think that we use the word so freely and yet have the tendency to be so careful with its reality. But Christian love is... Continue Reading

God hasn’t left the composition of Christ’s family in the hands of fickle human beings. God does more than just influence—he predestines. That’s why all things will work together for the good of the called, and Christ will be the firstborn among many brothers (Rom. 8:29).   Editors’ note:  Take part in TGC’s Read the... Continue Reading

Our story as priests aims for the time when Christ will unite all things in himself (Eph 1:10). The heavenly Holy of Holies will descend to earth (Rev 21:2-3), and “the dwelling place of God [will fully be] with man.” Awe and intimacy, which are ours now in Christ, will be ours even more.  ... Continue Reading

On the Day of Judgment, no one will be able to accuse God of being unfair. Each of us will get exactly what we have cried out for. The standard will be the same for everyone. For the rich and the poor. For the oppressed and the oppressor. For the black and the white and... Continue Reading

Esther is the only book of the Bible that does not mention God or God’s name. In fact, the author goes out of his way to avoid writing it (consider the pains he took in Esther 4:14, writing an ambiguous sentence when every Jewish child would know God was the one working). But this too is... Continue Reading