You can do some very significant things. You can be conscious of the judgment to come, and you can live in the light of that reality. Secondly, you can build an ark for the saving of your family. You can set a priority on bringing your children, your grandchildren, your great grandchildren to Jesus Christ.... Continue Reading

Reformed theologians embrace the tensions and difficulties in Scripture, digging deeper to understand it. The rigor of Reformed theologians to argue from Scripture alone has always struck me as their greatest strength and is far and away the most compelling piece for believing the doctrines of Reformed theology.   On this Reformation Day, I’m reflecting... Continue Reading

For if the Son of God be man, then he understands me and will have a fellow feeling for me. He knows my unfitness to worship sometimes—he knows my tendencies to grow weary and dull my pains, my trials, and my griefs: He knows what fierce temptations mean, For he has felt the same. Man,... Continue Reading

Christians can sing a re-formatted version Psalm 139:19 by using the NT expression of justice, judgment, and vengeance in this way: “Lord, destroy the enemies of your church, either in your wrath or in the waters of baptism.” Like the saints of Revelation 6, Christians today are free to desire and invite the vengeance of God. Contrary to... Continue Reading

In Spurgeon: A Life, Alex DiPrima provides an updated and accessible biography of the Prince of Preachers. Few of Spurgeon’s many biographies accurately portray his life or reflect the scholarly precision his legacy warrants. This new portrayal serves the church because it “makes some improvements over previous accounts of his life and also takes into view... Continue Reading

Jesus doesn’t ask us to change our behaviour, he promises to give us a new heart and that will cause us to change. WWJD puts the emphasis on our doing and changing to copy Jesus whereas scripture puts the emphasis squarely on Jesus changing us so that we might be more like him. In the end,... Continue Reading

Prayer does not preclude action, but often includes it. Indeed, prayer is the first action, and that first action sets the tone and establishes the direction for what follows. In the model prayer Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He has us ask God for our daily bread. Yet, to the church at Thessalonica Paul writes:... Continue Reading

I cannot now see him, I can be certain that he is blooming there, on the other side of the wall, where the sun is brighter, where all shadows are gone. And I can anticipate the day when, I, too, will pass through the garden gate to finally see him in that place where he... Continue Reading

The next time you’re paralyzed by inaction, ask yourself why. Is it because you don’t know what the next step should be, or how to take the next step? Or is it because you know what to do, but aren’t doing it? Don’t just pray for wisdom. Also pray for strength and courage to take... Continue Reading

Younger pastors and other church leaders were reaching out to me for help and advice. This consumed more of my time and was God’s way of preparing me for what was next. I sensed God leading me into a new ministry focused less on a single local church and more on the health of many local... Continue Reading