The old man took his place in the center of the rock and seemed unfazed by the whipping winds. But the young man began to cry out in despair. He was dashed against the rock, wave after wave. He began to swing wildly at the weather and shake his fists, but still he was beaten... Continue Reading

Now in Sydney with Ian’s parents, we investigated long-term employment and made ends meet with his General Practice locums. My stress accrued with his long hours away, morning sickness, and our unsettled, energetic boys. Our morale sunk lower with each long-term job prospect that turned out negative. We had insufficient funds to buy into any... Continue Reading

When we read a psalm of praise such as Psalm 145, we are not being asked to carry the burden of praising God on our own; rather, we are invited to join the choir of Jesus as he leads us in praise. The initiative is with Jesus, the song is by Jesus, the tune is... Continue Reading

You don’t have to know everything to follow wisdom and avoid folly, but you have to know where to start. If you trust and follow Jesus, he promises, in fact he delights to lead the simplest person into profound wisdom. Jesus himself, as he reveals himself in Scripture, comes with spectacular packaging. And in our... Continue Reading

Before God saved me, I was not an innocent man who happened to be chained to a dead sinner – I was both the dead man and the murderer. “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked” (Ephesians 2:1). Let’s forever banish the notion that when Christ saves us... Continue Reading

The method for establishing familiarity is frequent exposure, even immersion. Ask yourself what book of the Bible you’re least familiar with. Now, why not do something about it?   The Bible is not boring. It is the Drama of the ages, the Story of all stories. In this book we read of the living God’s... Continue Reading

Today, we need the Apostles’ Creed more than ever, but in our current church culture, there is a tendency to reject words for an emotional experience. Far too often, we see performance-driven worship use imagery to draw us into a higher emotional state.   I read an article a while ago that has stuck with... Continue Reading

Three thousand people could point to that specific day when they repented, were baptized, and received forgiveness and the gift of the Holy Spirit. That first Pentecost was not only the dividing line of history; it was the dividing line in their lives.    “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that... Continue Reading

The preacher expects us to take to heart both the urgent warning against a final departure from Christ and the admonition to assured confidence in God’s promise  without any whisper of contradiction. He doesn’t admonish us to doubt the inheritance that God assures us by his sworn oath and promise. God regularly uses warnings and... Continue Reading

There is nothing in the Christian’s heart—whether in the mind, desires, or will—that is untouched by God’s grace. Our hearts are enlightened, made pure, and established in the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We know God truly, love Him sincerely, and follow Him resolutely.   We call those white flakes that appear in... Continue Reading