Like a Little Salt
Has the grace of Jesus Christ made you the salt of the earth?
Christ challenges us, asking, “Are you truly salty? Or has the world leached away the Word from your heart?” If we lack the marks of saving grace that Christ outlines in the Beatitudes, we have no “saltiness”, and are “good for nothing.” Henry said, “A wicked man is the worst of creatures; a wicked Christian... Continue Reading
Tried with Fire: Want Wisdom?
Wisdom is the ability to make good choices in the absence of a definite rule.
The Bible has much to say about wisdom. One of the most profound statements is found in James 1:5. James tells his readers that if anyone lacks wisdom, “let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” God does not reproach those who desire... Continue Reading
How to Teach Your Kids to Study the Bible
The essence of Bible study is asking questions of the text to discover the meaning God intended.
Two key difference between reading and study are pacing and focus. When we read the Bible, we generally do so at the quickest pace our comprehension will allow. We may consume large chunks at one time, such as reading an entire book. We also look for the broad outlines of the text to know what... Continue Reading
Who’s Your One?
We must learn to do for the one what we wished we could do for the many.
Evangelism is a biblical mandate for every Christian. Yet you find it difficult, don’t you? So do it. The thought of standing on some street corner with a megaphone or knocking on some random person’s door frightens the daylights out of me! But I refuse to use what I cannot do as well as others... Continue Reading
“No One is Righteous”: How to Read with the Righteous in the Psalms
We find hope and security in the promises for the righteous, trusting that they are ultimately ours because we are Christ’s.
When the psalmists take up the moniker “righteous,” they are not adducing moral perfection or proclaiming to be self-righteous. They are not saying, “God is going to take care of me because I am morally perfect.” So, what is the difference between righteousness and self-righteousness? The Psalms are rich spiritual food for the Christian... Continue Reading
Christians Should Desire the Salvation of All People Because God Does
God neither delights in the death of the wicked nor desires that anyone should perish but that all would repent and come to know him.
Some will enter into eternal perdition. We should lament this as Jesus lamented over Jerusalem. We should preach repentance as God preached it to Israel. We should pray for all people and offer Christ the saviour for all men to all and sundry. And we should desire above all that everyone be saved and come... Continue Reading
Let My People Go
The command was simple, unchangeable, and there was only one proper response.
God gave the command and he didn’t negotiate it. Obey it, or die. He repeated that command over a dozen times. he gave Pharaoh chance after chance. But he didn’t change his mind. Obey it, or die. Those are the options. And Pharaoh chose to die with his whole army rather than bend the knee.... Continue Reading
An Open Letter to the Suffering Christian
Suffering must be walked through one step at a time.
Jesus is a most sympathetic friend, fellow sufferer, and Savior. He has walked a hard road. He has felt his own anguish and crushing pain (Isaiah 53). He understands. He is compassionate toward you. By the comfort of his presence and sympathy, he intends to draw you out and draw you to Himself. Dear... Continue Reading
If I Could Preach Only One Sermon: Luke 18
A summons to come and claim your mercies from Christ.
The self-righteous spirit seeks to establish commerce with God, where a good done or a bad avoided moves God to accept us favorably. It is an old evil. It is asking God to boast in the works of sinful man. We never draw God’s favor by pointing to something within ourselves. If I could... Continue Reading
Genuine Christian Transformation
The battle to mortify our sins is part of our sanctification.
What is a truly transformed life in Christ? It is not one that is produced via a man devised program. It is one that is the fruit of becoming a living sacrifice in which God develops the mind of Christ via his plan of mind renewal. And do not be conformed to this world,... Continue Reading