We should not be surprised if we sometimes struggle to see such wonders when we look behind us. Another psalmist would pray, “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law” (Psalm 119:18). Only the Holy Spirit can reveal God’s wonders to us, whether in the pages of Scripture or the... Continue Reading

The Bible has a reasoned explanation for all this seeming lack of fairness: the world is filled with sin and misery due to humanity’s rebellion against God in the garden of Eden (Gen. 3). We all must live in a world that God originally made good but now suffers from the effects of Adam’s fall.... Continue Reading

When Jesus entered the human race He became subject to all of its natural weaknesses and liabilities, including mortality. His liability to death was essential to His mission. By fear of death, humans were slaves of the devil, who held the power of death (Heb 2:14-15). For the relatively brief period of His humiliation, Christ... Continue Reading

Both Paul and James also demonstrate that justification by faith alone (and the transformed life that follows from it) is rooted in the Old Testament — specifically in Genesis 15:6. These apostles apply this text in different but complementary ways. Paul cites Genesis 15 from the perspective of the beginning of Abraham’s faith. When Abraham believed God,... Continue Reading

To be honest, this is sometimes a shortcoming in my own prayers. I’m quick to take my needs to Christ in prayer but almost as equally quick to forget to thank him for the blessings in my life. Perhaps part of my own forgetfulness on this account is due to the fact that I don’t... Continue Reading

Satan does not withdraw automatically. You must first submit to God. In a real sense, you cannot win over Satan until you learn to lose to God. Then the submissive believer must resist the devil. Victory over temptation requires that you stand your ground and fight. This spiritual battle may require extreme measures. You may... Continue Reading

Progressives, who have now progressed to the point of insanity and insisting that two plus two equals five, are now calling for the burning of Rowling’s books, because there’s an evil witch involved in them after all—JK Rowling herself! And what witchery is Rowling guilty of that is so Salemesque to result in the call... Continue Reading

Biblically speaking, my thoughts are like my eyes: I may not be able to entirely control everything they see, but I can certainly control whether they continue to look. Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God (1 Chri. 22:19). If I can set my mind on something, I can certainly... Continue Reading

Newton was a diligent writer and wrote voluminously. His letters capture a depth of the gospel, an awareness of the human heart, a compassion for the souls of family and friends, and an insatiable desire to keep his heart and mind on Jesus. What follows are some brief statements taken from some of his letters.... Continue Reading

Where does Christ fit in your affections, thinking, and behavior? How often do you reflect on Christ and the Gospel? Would you say you are more or less in love with Christ than the beginning of last year?   As this year closes and we look forward to the next, there are four questions that... Continue Reading