Knowing that the Spirit prays, we can sit with God in prayer when we don’t have words. It is good to keep coming to him in our confusion and suffering—we don’t need any fancy language or feeling of holiness. We can trust that the Spirit will intercede for us (just as Jesus also does, see Romans... Continue Reading

There is a new darkness, and that is the silencing of criticism when it comes to the future health of our children. Australia doesn’t have a voice in this debate — that has been silenced by the legislation of our premiers — so we must wait to see if legal action in other countries is able to... Continue Reading

The more I’m in awe of God, the clearer I can see the big picture as God sees it. Confronted with the beauty and holiness of God, I’m more aware of the awfulness of sin and I’m more likely to despise it. When I’m continually overwhelmed by God’s glory, I recognize that I’m living for... Continue Reading

In the years after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, millions of abominable sacrifices were offered on those altars in rejection of Christ. At some point, the Zealots came into the temple, with the help of the Idumeans, and laid waste to their countrymen, destroyed the idolatrous priests, committed all kinds of abominable actions in the temple,... Continue Reading

Members of Generation Z who desire a sense of transcendence in their worship may simply need to look a bit harder. By fostering a dogmatic commitment to the authority and sufficiency of Scripture while retaining a deep respect for church history, much of evangelical, conservative, Reformed Christianity has managed to guard itself from the spirit... Continue Reading

What is great about Romans 8:28 is not only that God is sovereign, nor that all things work together for our good, but that the good God has designed for us is far better than any good thing we might imagine for ourselves. Whatever good we can think of, God intends all things to work towards our... Continue Reading

The New Testament writers undeniably believed the devil was a real being. An impersonal force cannot “scheme” (Eph. 6:11). An impersonal force does not have a “will” (2 Tim. 2:26). An impersonal force cannot “prowl” (1 Pet. 5:8). Most notably, Jesus himself dialogues with the devil during his wilderness temptation (Matt. 4). So, yes, I... Continue Reading

Determine right now that when the service ends, you will do your utmost to give the first two minutes to someone you don’t know or to someone you don’t know well. The temptation will be to turn straight to your friends, to immediately catch up with the people you know the best and love the... Continue Reading

Every culture that has rejected God has turned violent and tyrannical, so one would think we would learn as well. Tragically, most will not. The Scriptures note that, “The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the nations that forget God,” (Pslam 9:17). It does appear that as America forgets God, it becomes more and... Continue Reading

God has preserved his written word by his singular care and providence, with great accuracy and in great purity. Despite its complexities, preservation by ordinary providence in both special and general modes (though we cannot always discern the difference between these two) seems to be the best theological account of providential preservation based on the... Continue Reading