How Could a Loving God Send People to Hell?
Just as we cannot absolve people of moral accountability without also erasing their ability to love, so God’s love and God’s judgment cannot be pulled apart.
We get a hint of this relationship in pregnancy. The child in my womb right now is truly alive, even though his life is utterly contingent on mine. He moves freely within my womb. But he does not control his location: where I go, he goes. Likewise, I am truly alive and truly free not... Continue Reading
Love is Inconvenient
And often quite costly.
What allows us to embrace the humility of putting the interests of others before our own? It’s our relationship with Jesus. We are encouraged and comforted by his love. We are empowered by his Spirit. Love wells up within us as we consider the One who gave up everything to make us part of his... Continue Reading
Humble Prayer Under Humbling Providences
Perhaps the greatest blessing of the pandemic is being humbled to the point of crying out in prayer to God more persistently.
Matthew Henry was right, humility does look good on humbled people. If the Lord’s typical pattern holds true, future generations will be able to trace much of the good he may be pleased to do to these hours spent in prayer. It becomes us to be humble under humbling providences. —Matthew Henry The providences... Continue Reading
A Reason to Exist—The Crisis of “Why?”
We need to return to what the church used to know, and Reform our churches accordingly.
When a culture can’t agree on the very meaning or “why” behind many of the things that make up the culture, chaos ensues, and that is exactly what we’re seeing happen. Things are breaking down, and collapsing. Why? In our capitalist society we’re constantly given a reason to do something. Normally it’s a reason... Continue Reading
4 Ways Paul Encourages Us to Love the Church (Even When It’s Hard)
Like the Old Testament tabernacle that was covered on the outside with ram’s skins and goat hair but ornamented inside with gold and silver, the ordinary-looking church is more than it seems.
The church has more beauty—and more value—than we can see with physical eyes. Like the Old Testament tabernacle that was covered on the outside with ram’s skins and goat hair but ornamented inside with gold and silver, the ordinary-looking church is actually much more than it seems. Around the corner from where I live,... Continue Reading
Daniel’s Terrifying Vision
We should be broken hearted over the sin that has compromised the Church.
We must pursue prayer and fasting as Daniel did. Daniel loved the Lord and served Him day and night. God mightily used him because of his faithfulness. He fasted and prayed and mourned for his people and God’s glory. Are we doing the same thing for our brethren? 10 Finally, be strong in the... Continue Reading
Your Job Has Changed and How to Hire Yourself for It
Vision can inspire commitment, creativity, and passion.
To serve the people well and be faithful to what the Lord has given us, we must look with vision at our new jobs. Grieve, yes. But to only bemoan the loss of what was will cause us to miss opportunities to serve people now. Unless your industry has somehow remained stable and unphased... Continue Reading
Ripening on the Vine
We cannot grow and bear fruit apart from all it means to abide in Jesus Christ.
If it is the case that apart from Christ we can do nothing that means that disciples must be taught what it means to abide in Christ and how to abide in Christ. Otherwise, all the disciplines and rituals of Christian practice are just for show. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,... Continue Reading
The Unstoppable Unfolding of God’s Promises
We need to tie our hearts to the unstoppable advance of God’s purposes in Christ.
Stop worrying that the enemy is stronger than Jesus. How many Egyptians have to drown in the Red Sea before we will stop fretting? How many Hamans have to hang on their own gallows? How many Jezebels have to be thrown over the wall? How many Philistines have to be covered in boils? God is... Continue Reading
Good and Evil in The Lord of the Rings
If there is any principle that is clear in the writings of Tolkien, it is that we cannot fight evil with evil.
The conflict between good and evil is at the heart of all great stories, and the best ones offer thoughtful insights into this conflict. Is it possible that we might be able to learn something about good and evil from a fantasy story such as The Lord of the Rings? It is quite possible indeed.... Continue Reading