All We Have Is Christ
Would you be happy to have Christ if you could have nothing but him?
In the secret of your heart, how does Jesus stand up to your other loves? Does every other good, every other talent, every other relationship bow before him? Or does he often get lost in the weeds of other pleasures? Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed,... Continue Reading
When Suffering Only Gets Worse
Does God really work all things for good for those who love him and are called according to his purpose?
If you are like we were, we desperately needed friends to hold us, weep with us, allow us to verbalize our pain and questions with no expectation of a good answer. The Bible calls this lament, and there is a place for that. In the midst of the valleys, we often need the Psalms. Romans 8:28 is... Continue Reading
Getting Prayer to Stick (2 of 2)
We can ask Him to open our lips so that we might declare the glory of His name.
In the prophecy of Zechariah, God talks about pouring out a spirit of grace and supplication. That suggests that God gives freely the help needed to pray. When Jesus taught on prayer in Luke 11, He says our Heavenly Father will not refuse to give us the Holy Spirit if we ask Him. That’s great... Continue Reading
What You Need to Understand about the Unpardonable Sin
To blaspheme the Spirit is to reject the very grace that has been shown to you in Christ.
The unpardonable sin is not an accidental failing, nor a misguided moment of irreverence, nor is it even willfully committing a sin when you know you shouldn’t. For those who look to Christ for their only hope of salvation, all sins are forgiven. In Matthew 12:22–31, after Jesus had just cast a demon out... Continue Reading
Have We Become Pharisees?
5 Evaluation Questions
Nobody wants to be a Pharisee, yet our flesh seems naturally bent in that direction. The good news of the gospel seems too easy for our works-based, achievement-driven hearts. We know Christ achieved it all, but we still want to contribute. Even while we proclaim the gospel of grace, we fight the intense pull toward... Continue Reading
Justification and Counseling
Justification is a cornerstone for all successful counseling.
The conscience can be a tricky guide. It is possible for example to think you have a clear conscience, when in fact you are objectively guilty and should “feel” guilty. On the other hand, a sensitive conscience can paralyze a believer, condemning them and preventing them from moving forward from their sin. The believer must... Continue Reading
350 Nigerian Christians Killed in First 2 Months of 2020: NGO Report
Group estimates at least 11,500 Nigerian Christians killed since June 2015.
“Nigeria has fully become a killing field of defenseless Christians,” the Anambra-based nongovernmental organization International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) said this week in a new special report, titled “Nigeria: A Killing Field Of Defenseless Christians.” A Nigerian civil society organization claims that no fewer than 350 Christians have been... Continue Reading
Truth in a Culture of Noise
Despite the noise of this fallen world, the word of God never fails.
Since we can no longer reason, anyone who believes in truth and threatens the dogma of relativism will be bullied. Might makes right is the only logical outcome in a culture that denies reality. We are a people clamoring to be heard. Everyone seems to have a grievance they want to air, and it... Continue Reading
What Does It Look Like To Change By The Spirit?
The Spirit creates in us a new heart that wants to delight in the good and perfect and holy law of God.
Through the Spirit indwelling us, we have the mind of Christ with which we can direct our desires to the good and perfect. The means of grace such as church attendance, singing, and other worship then course correct our lives. Christians are supposed to be new creations whose lives exhibit the power of God... Continue Reading
How Does God Hide His Face from Us?
The guilt from sin eclipses the experience of walking and living in the covenant of grace.
God allows us to feel the sense that he has withdrawn from us so we might gain a greater understanding of our need for him and, in repentance, return to him. Ezra models this for the people as they humble themselves before the Lord. What does the Bible mean when it says that the... Continue Reading