The Intermediate State
Those who have died before us and are already in God’s presence and who are now experiencing the intermediate state long for the return of Jesus Christ to earth.
The gospel is grounded in the promise that Jesus provides all that we need to be reckoned a “saint” and rendered holy by virtue of our union with Jesus Christ through faith. Positionally, we are holy at our justification, while practically, we grow in holiness throughout our lives until we are made fully holy in... Continue Reading
Jehoshaphat Prayer Guide
The following is a prayer guide that traces the narrative of 2 Chronicles 20:1-30. It directs our eyes to our God and it places ourselves in His hands.
What titles or attributes or descriptions of God help you to draw near to Him in this moment? How have you seen His faithfulness in the past? Ask God to open the eyes of your heart, to review His mercies past, and draw you more deeply into His presence. The following is a prayer... Continue Reading
Our Unchanging God in an Ever-Changing World
God’s immutability should be an anchor for our weary and wave-tossed souls.
As fallen and finite beings, we are continually learning new facts that alter our perception, continually facing new developments that alter our plans, and continually experiencing trials that threaten our relationships. We change, and the world changes around us. Yet, God does not change. The theological term for this idea is the immutability of God. Simply... Continue Reading
Your Strength Will Fail
Why God gives us more than we can handle.
What makes “all our affliction” a sharing in Christ’s sufferings is that when they befall us, we turn in faith to “him [on whom] we have set our hope” for the deliverance he intends to provide for us (2 Corinthians 1:10). That’s actually one of the most important outcomes that God intends for “all our... Continue Reading
Predestination and Human Actions
The Reformed or Calvinistic doctrines of providence and predestination are often charged with being fatalistic.
There’s no contradiction in affirming both that future outcomes depend crucially on our choices and that God sovereignly orders all things, including future outcomes and the choices that lead to them. Yes, God foreordains the actions of His creatures, but He also foreordains that their actions have significant consequences. The legend of Oedipus is... Continue Reading
All’s Well That Ends Well: An Intro to Revelation
God has promised us the victory in Jesus Christ.
We instinctively feel a need to know something about the future. Without a knowledge of how history will end, we would feel insecure and perplexed as we see human culture decline. The Book of Revelation tells us enough about the future that we can be confident of ultimate victory in Christ. Every story must... Continue Reading
The Lord’s Prayer in a Crisis
What does the prayer we say to God say to us about times of trouble?
Don’t wander down the roads of temptations as a respite from your weary heart. Look to the one who will truly give you rest. He may be leading you through the valley of the shadow of death. But green pastures and still waters lie further ahead. Stay close to the Shepherd. Perhaps you’ve heard... Continue Reading
Why Christians Say “You Were Never a True Christian”
Faith deconstruction is an impossibility.
It is imperative for the sake of the lost, for the sake of our children and church members, and for the glory of God that we understand the fact that faith cannot be deconstructed. Rather, when someone walks away, he is simply saying, whether he likes it or not, that he never truly believed. ... Continue Reading
Hidden Blessings under His Wings
In the midst of this plague, the Lord still protects and provides.
The quieter schedule encourages longer periods of solitude and hence deeper reflection. Each time I interact with someone, I am more appreciative for him or her, more thankful for their love and friendship. I long to return to the sanctuary in ways I did not, and could not, before. This past week brought the... Continue Reading
Virginia Gov Ralph Northam Signs Bill Repealing Pro-Life Laws Saving Babies From Abortions
The legislation also repeals basic health and safety requirements for abortion facilities and removes civil penalties for abortionists who fail to properly inform or treat patients.
Planned Parenthood and other pro-abortion groups have dumped millions of dollars into Virginia politics in the past several years, bringing pro-abortion Democrats into power. Infamously, in 2019, Gov. Northam went so far as to support infanticide for infants who survive abortions. Last year, Virginia Governor Ralph Northam revealed how he is perfectly fine with... Continue Reading