The Glory of the Incarnation (John 1:14)
The Son of God became human.
In the incarnation, the Son of God took on flesh to dwell among man, die for us, be raised for us, and will come again for us one day. In all these things, He is glorious, and as we love Him, we will one day see His incarnate glory forevermore!2 John 1:14 captures the incarnation... Continue Reading
Praise Him, All Creatures Here Below
The Story of Thomas Ken's Doxology
In 1674, Ken published A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Scholars of Winchester College. In it, he gave instructions for the devotional use of a series of his new compositions of Morning and Evening Hymns, including “Awake, My Soul, and with the Sun” and “Glory to Thee, My God, this Night.” What we now... Continue Reading
Trials Are Gardens for Lies
How Thankfulness Guards Us Against Satan
When your trials and temptations come, don’t let Satan and his schemes have your ear. Don’t assume that God’s sovereignty over all things means that temptation is from him. Rather, in your suffering, remember that he’s a good and perfect Father. He’s the giver of every good thing you might lose, and he’s the giver of every comfort or... Continue Reading
Christian Assurance
God has given us saving faith and all the graces necessary for godliness.
Genuine believers can fall into the fleshly trap of self-focus. They can become neutralized by this because that is what this does. On the other hand, walking in repentance, though quite painful at times, is the only way for us to continue in this growth pattern and remain fruitful. In this our assurance will grow... Continue Reading
A Devotional on the Excellency of Christ Seen in Christmas by Jonathan Edwards
The creation of the world was a very great thing, but not so great as the incarnation of Christ.
Edwards repeatedly uses the word condescension, and we need to understand that this is a theological word and concept, with no hint of the negative connotations that the word holds in common usage today. Christ’s condescension was his descent from a higher divine state to a lower human one, accompanied by his relinquishing of divine... Continue Reading
Irresistible Grace
Spiritually dead men and women can neither do nor will themselves into a better relationship with God unless God does a work in them.
Irresistible grace happens in us, as the eternal salvation of God enters our personal existence through the supernatural work of conversion. This first taste of saving grace, which is experienced more and more each and every day through Christ, is what the true Christian savors both now and forever: the riches of His grace that... Continue Reading
You Shall Call His Name Joshua
An Important Detail in the Angel's Message
Hear the angel say, “You shall call his name Joshua,” for that name will most easily connect us to the Old Testament background. Jesus didn’t come merely to promise deliverance or to sustain the hope for deliverance or to point us to some other source for deliverance. He came to be our deliverance. His name... Continue Reading
Calvin, Culture and Common Grace
We can learn and benefit from others because of God’s common grace.
The biblical teaching on common grace is related to yet somewhat distinct from other issues, such as the cultural mandate, general revelation, and natural theology. The long and short of it is that what Paul teaches us in Romans 1-2 is that we have enough revelation in creation and conscience to condemn us for not... Continue Reading
Limited Atonement
Does limited atonement limit the gospel offer to the elect only?
Gospel ministry should mirror the Spirit’s ministry. He calls people to Christ generally and particularly, externally and internally. He calls sinners through preaching, even though some resist His call (Acts 7:51). Yet He calls the elect also through this general call, ensuring that they will answer it by extending to the elect the internal call as... Continue Reading
God Comes Quietly: Immanuel in the Ordinary
God is glorious, and that he is also quietly near to us in our daily lives.
Jesus tends to our needs in our ordinary lives each and every day. He blesses, protects, gifts, and comforts us. As we celebrate Christmas, remember that our ordinary lives are blessed with a divine benediction as those who love God and are loved by God—a most amazing gift. In the Old Testament there are... Continue Reading
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