We must demonstrate love for neighbor with balance and in light of the ultimate purpose of all things, and doing so without inflicting additional burdens (e.g. 613 Jewish Commandments) on each other in order to achieve it. “For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.”   There is, in... Continue Reading

“The reality of Sabbath, of taking a rest, is a gift from God to all people, not just leaders. The Sabbath, Swoboda contends later on in the book, is for plants, animals, land, poor, rich, Christian, atheist—literally all of creation needs Sabbath because God wrote Sabbath into the fabric of creation prior to the Fall.”... Continue Reading

“When we pray for the kingdom of God to come we are pleading for the kingdom of Satan to be toppled. Like is so often the case when a tyrant is displaced, we want his statues to be defaced, toppled, and dragged in open view. We want Satan and all of his demonic scheming, tactical... Continue Reading

“If God foreordains anything, it is absolutely certain that what He foreordains will come to pass. The purpose of God can never be frustrated. Even God’s foreknowledge or prescience makes future events certain with respect to time.”   In the Reformed view, God from all eternity decrees some to election and positively intervenes in their... Continue Reading

“We can either lean on our own understanding or God’s understanding. We lean on our own understanding when we trust our unstable feelings instead of God’s unshakable word. We lean on our own understanding when we trust our own opinions rather than the wise counsel of those around us.”   How can you know God’s... Continue Reading

“They need to be shown that the message which led them to Christ is the genuinely central message of the New Testament. So show them it again and again, from different books and different authors. If you’re meeting up regularly (and you should), take them on a tour of key verses.”   I remember strapping... Continue Reading

“Jesus flips everything on its head. Jesus puts this little boy in the center and tells his disciples they need to become like a child, otherwise they will never enter the kingdom. Forget about being the secretary of defense; you won’t even get in without becoming like a child.”   Can you imagine if all... Continue Reading

“Even in a society dominated by images and video, words remain the battleground for sexual purity. Every illicit image whispers a lie and makes a promise it cannot keep. By listening to the words of God and knowing him with fear and affection, we are prepared to prove that sexual sin’s promises are untrustworthy and... Continue Reading

“Everyone in the whole world is invited. All races, nations, ethnicities, and kinds of people are invited. There is no one who is too different, too sinful, too good, or too disabled who is not invited by Christ’s call to come and feast with him.”   And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those... Continue Reading

“So what do the Puritans have to say to the weary, exhausted, discouraged pastor? Look to Christ. By faith, look to Jesus Christ, the One who is mighty and glorious and whose steadfast love is better than life. Out of a love for the glory of God, the word of God, and the people of God, the... Continue Reading