“As Americans approach another Independence Day celebration and this one in the midst of what seems like a super-heated cultural-political context, it seemed like a good time to reflect again on the teaching of the Apostle Paul where he reminded the Philippian congregation about where their most fundamental loyalties lie.”   Our older Reformed writers... Continue Reading

“Sacraments are not practices the church made up or that evolved over time. The sacraments are specific practices Christ himself gives to Christians for their sake. Thus, these things are vitally important for the church and Christians to practice and should always be done with the Word of God and in the way the Word... Continue Reading

“The apostles regularly make reference to the wilderness generation without comment or explanation. When Paul is warning against idolatry, three of his four illustrations come from Numbers (1 Cor. 10:7–10). Balaam’s story comes up several times to make a variety of points: immorality (Rev. 2:14), greed (Jude 11 and 2 Pet. 2:15), and Messianic expectation... Continue Reading

On the Day of Atonement, two male goats would be used. By casting lots, the priest would choose one for an offering and the other to be set free. The first goat would be sacrificed and its blood sprinkled in the Holy Place to make atonement because of “the uncleannesses of the people of Israel.”... Continue Reading

That God is not dependent on human faith for accomplishing His work is clear from the accounts of other miracles recorded by Matthew. The transfiguration of Jesus immediately prior to the healing of the boy is a prime example. It was a spectacular miracle; yet no human faith was involved. This is also true in... Continue Reading

A saint is like a fair face with a scar; we love the beautiful face of holiness, though there be a scar in it.  The best emerald has its blemishes, the brightest stars have their twinklings, and the best of the saints have their failings. You that cannot love one another because of his infirmities,... Continue Reading

Despite all the caricatures God is not some kind of superhuman or old man up in the sky. This is of course hard for us to understand and so our temptation is always to try and create a God in our own image. But the Bible gives us a different picture.   I have just... Continue Reading

We know from the New Testament, and the realizing of Isaiah’s words 700 years later, that this suffering servant would be not only the promised Messiah, but God himself — God’s own Son, come to rescue his people, by receiving in himself the justice they deserved. How can God himself, the happiest being in the... Continue Reading

It’s what the Psalmist prayed, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things” (Psalm 119:18). It’s also what Paul prayed for the Ephesians, “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of... Continue Reading

Matthew 6:8 is one of the most important verses in order to understand the Lord’s Prayer: “Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” If we come to understand that our Father knows our needs before we ask him, then far from leading us away from prayer, our prayer lives will be utterly... Continue Reading