The Life and Death of Jesus: A Theophany
Christ’s life brings to fulfillment the entire spectrum of theophanies and appearances of God in the Old Testament.
Entering the cloud in Luke 9:34 is similar to Moses entering the cloud in Exodus 24:18. But, unlike at Mount Sinai, the heavenly voice at the transfiguration does not continue to speak, and does not deliver an extended message, parallel to the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. Instead, the voice directs the disciples’ attention to... Continue Reading
Loss and Grief
Some days, I am in the valley of the shadow of death, and I forget to remember that God is with me. But he doesn’t forget.
Grief. Sometimes loss is just a bit overwhelming. Sometimes I wish I could just experience what they call the “ugly cry” but I don’t think I’m able to. Too unseemly. I have too much of my father in me I guess. But I still grieve. I am grieving for lost youth. I wasn’t ready for... Continue Reading
Cultivating Praise in Marriage
Prayer with thanksgiving (Phil. 4:6) is the most powerful path to growth in valuing, enjoying, and encouraging your spouse.
As you grow in this, it will do more than strengthen your marriage. When we praise one another, we are, in a sense, practicing for glory. Paul writes, “you can boast of us just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus” (2 Cor 1:14b). Praise and affirmation are surely... Continue Reading
God Is Holding On to You
Even if we might try to break free of his grip and let go of him, he is holding on to us tightly and keeping us safe.
Our Father is perfectly wise and good and he knows how to uphold his children so that we persevere. That illness, that disappointment, that conflict, that setback, that failure—in God’s hands don’t we see these things bringing us to a new sense of our helplessness apart from the Lord, a new lease of life in... Continue Reading
The Persuasion of the Gospel
"God speaks to us not primarily to inform us, but to encounter us in judgment and grace"
And yet the Christian longs for relief, for a remedy, for rescue, for the comfort of the gospel. To effectively reach and help the hearer the preacher must teach not only truth but use godly persuasion to convince of that truth those weak in faith, those struggling with the guilt of sin, and those harboring doubts of... Continue Reading
3 Things to Know About Union with Christ
Through the Holy Spirit who gives us faith, we are united to Christ like branches to a vine.
Dead branches are now being grafted in to a new, living vine. Being united to the first Adam who fell, we were dead in trespasses and sin. But now, we have been granted new life because of the work of Jesus, who is called the second Adam (Rom. 5). Knowing the following three aspects of... Continue Reading
Are You a Contender?
Like brave mothers who snatch their children from a cougar’s jaws, our fight to defend is compelled by love.
We fight, first, because we love the truth, and second, because we love people and want to save them from certain death. We fight to “save others by snatching them out of the fire” of God’s judgment against unbelief and apostasy. We defend the truth as an act of mercy toward “those who doubt” (Jude 22-23). ... Continue Reading
A Better Country For Mom
One day mom won’t laugh with me here. But she won’t weep there, in that better country.
Canada is a better country than Ghana, but mom couldn’t imagine she would suffer so much in a better country. But there is a country better than Canada. There is a country better than every country in this world. There, mom won’t suffer anymore. I don’t want to think about mom not being here. But... Continue Reading
A Functional Imperfect Perfectionism?
In this life we will be far from what we long to be and that which Christ will ultimately and instantaneously make us in glory
The idea that “men demand immediate, tangible results” is also observable in our day by a consideration of the many efforts to rid society of particular injustices. Where there are noble calls to end gun violence, abuse, political corruption, sexual deviancy, racial inequality, abortion, etc., men can unconsciously convince themselves that a complete purgation of... Continue Reading
Sanctification Through Song
Singing God’s songs does real, noticeable good.
And, of course, the songs themselves — as I have sung them — have gotten into my bones, and they have generated a longing to return to them over and over again. I have not only been sanctified to sing, but sanctified through song. I still don’t sing well- I won’t get tapped for choir... Continue Reading