Serving Where We are Needed
The Lord has equipped His people for service in ways that work together.
In matters of serving the church body, we should first consider how the Lord has equipped us to serve others instead of what our preference might be or what such service might cost us in time or energy. This cost will look different at different times. The cost to the woman at Bethany was an... Continue Reading
“To Him Who is Able” — An Exposition of Jude (Part Two)
Jude is able to remind his readers that God has a long history of dealing with false teachers and apostates, and those men who were currently troubling the churches to which Jude is writing, face certain judgment.
In light of the damage done by the false teachers, Jude exhorts the members of these churches to “have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” It was the sacred duty of the pastors,... Continue Reading
Difficult Bible Passages: 1 Corinthians 3:19
Refusing to love God with your mind is not a mark of godliness.
None of us have all the truth. We can learn from others. For some silly Christian to come along and pretend he is more spiritual than all of us because he only listens to Scripture is not a sign of being really spiritual and holy – it is an indication of carnality and arrogance. Refusing to love... Continue Reading
Psalm 126: Set Free
A Great Degree of Hope and Comfort to Those Weary Saints
Psalm 126 is an encouraging reminder to saints throughout all ages that, just as the Israelites were saved from Babylonian captivity, God now saves sinners from captivity to sin. We may sow seeds of the gospel in desert places but will one day bear witness to a great harvest with unparalleled joy in our hearts. Though... Continue Reading
The Necessity to Prioritize the Local Church
When Christians remove themselves from the regular gathering of the local church, they remove themselves from the direct oversight of pastors who are called to shepherd their soul.
Let us consider the joyful privileges and serious responsibilities of covenant church membership that necessitates us sharing life together, submitting to one another, obeying leaders, worshipping corporately, stimulating one another to good works, and growing in the grace of God through the ordinary means of grace. Church membership is not an option to be considered.... Continue Reading
A Tree But More Than A Tree
I don’t believe I am alone in my love of trees, as different authors of Scripture employ them as images for a variety of reasons.
Next time you look upon one of these majestic giants of the field, may it serve to guide you in your thoughts. May it serve to warn you against a haughty and arrogant spirit, that trusts not in the Lord and his salvation. May it serve, likewise, to remind you of the Lord’s great redemption... Continue Reading
Fleeing the Love of Money
It is so easy to substitute our love and service of God with a love and service for money.
Be aware of when greed controls your heart. When you realise that many of your conversations turn to the subject of money or house prices, or that much of what you dream of revolves around new things, confess to God that you have a problem. Greed is far worse for us than we often think.... Continue Reading
Is Christianity Oppressive?
Christian teaching on ethics fills innumerable volumes with instruction on how to love one’s neighbor, and the Bible itself forbids the oppression of vulnerable people.
Regrettably, professing Christians do not have a perfect track record when it comes to oppression. That fact, however, does not make Christianity oppressive. Biblical Christianity provides the only coherent way to define oppression in the first place, and those who have practiced the faith have been a force for good in the world. May we... Continue Reading
The World Wants Your Family
Thoughts on How to Fight Back
Being different, being set apart and having a close family creates a sense of identity and purpose. Today so many young people are confused because they don’t know who they are, what they believe, or what their past is: they know nothing. They are adrift and depressed and confused to the point of trying to... Continue Reading
Is Jesus Divine?
Like Father, like Son.
The Apostle Paul makes a stunning claim: because Jesus was in the form of God in eternity past (when), accomplished salvation (what), and returned to heaven (where) bearing the name above all names (who), He is—as God the Son—worthy of worship from all corners of heaven and earth (why) (Phil. 2:5–11). Few people today... Continue Reading
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