You Will Die Someday
In this post I want to reflect on why believers need to think about the end of their own lives, and the fundamental difference our death makes to living here and now.
I will die someday, and so will you. I will not rage against the dying of the light but reach toward the dawning of the day, to so repent, and plan, and live that eternity is the welcome realisation of where my eye has been fixed in time. I will need God’s daily grace and... Continue Reading
Canons Of Dort (21): The Atonement Is Not Universal But The Offer Of The Gospel Is
The whole of salvation, deliverance from the wrath to come and reception of Christ and all his benefits, is God’s gift.
There is no fault in the gospel because it announces not merely the hypothetical possibility of salvation but rather its accomplishment. The good news is that Christ has done it all and further that he freely gives it to his people as a free gift. It is not conditioned upon their obedience and perseverance. It is received... Continue Reading
Christian Good Works are by the Grace of God
What should our attitude be toward God when we have an opportunity to serve Him?
Instead of being all wrapped up in trying to please people, the genuinely humble believer is concerned only about their relationship with their Saviour. It is the only one that truly matters. When Christians do this they let everything else go as they cling to their Saviour at all costs. It is these believers that... Continue Reading
You Are Not Your Own
With God’s wonderful grace in mind, we can take a good, honest look at ourselves and ask: do we really believe that we are not our own?
Since all of us redeemed short-fallers are in this fight of faith together, we can keep encouraging and exhorting one another every day to press on towards the Great Goal (Philippians 3:14), so that none of us becomes hardened in deceitful, habitual sin (Hebrews 3:13). Your body does not belong to you. Do you... Continue Reading
How Anxiety Can Feed Anger, Irritability, and Frustration
Martha’s anxiety caused her to miss out on spending time with the most important visitor to ever grace her home!
There are many tasks to complete before welcoming someone into your home, but once your guest arrives he or she should be made to feel valued. Your guest is more important than the details surrounding their visit. This is where Martha went wrong, but her sister Mary got it right. Mary knew whose presence she... Continue Reading
Better Late than Never – Thoughts on Deathbed Conversions
Today if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart.
It is clear from the example of the bandit on the cross that while his understanding was very limited, he understood enough to be saved – there was true repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. If these are real then salvation is guaranteed by God himself, for ‘whoever calls upon the name of the Lord... Continue Reading
Come to Me and Rest
Rest, child. Let it go. Put it off. Gather with God’s people.
God gave the Sabbath so that man would know that Jesus is coming. He pours the water. He sheds the blood. He gives the Spirit. He gives rest to the weary soul. And he gave us very practical instructions. One day in seven, rest. God gives you your daily bread. Your significance is found only in... Continue Reading
Is Christianity a Life of Love, not a Doctrine?
God’s saving love for His people in the gospel of Jesus Christ is the essence of Christianity.
The Bible never minimizes the importance of love. The Ten Commandments are all about how we should love God and love others. Jesus set an example of love and taught us to love. We must preach that true faith in Christ and repentance of sin leads to love for God and love for others. But... Continue Reading
Darkness Does and Will Descend
If we can still see Jesus when darkness descends, the miracle has occurred.
Darkness comes in different degrees. Though much of it can feel intensely painful and unbearable at the moment, some passes and some stays with us. The loss of a pet usually fades, the loss of a child or spouse does not. It is the persistent or enduring darkness that poses the most noticeable threat to our souls.... Continue Reading
Regeneration and Religious Fashion
Looked at from the perspective of God the Father, regeneration is the first element in the effectual calling of those for whom Christ died.
As we are in the divine purpose united to Christ in his death, God has ‘quickened us together with Christ’ (Eph 2:5). And looked at from the point of view of the Holy Spirit, regeneration comes about as a result of his activity in the soul. A man is born again ‘of the Spirit’. ‘Regeneration’... Continue Reading