7 Things You Need to Know about the Silence of Jesus
Our Lord masters the art of the silence for us, so that we might speak better for him and so that our words may be conformed to his words.
It appears that the many words of the crowd have won. Jesus didn’t even defend himself (Luke 23:9). In his quietness, we hear no eloquence, no powerful reproaches, no clear condemnation of wickedness. The loud speaking of the people appeared to have defeated the silence of Jesus; yet, nothing could be further from the truth.... Continue Reading
When Your Christian Liberty Becomes a Sin
We are called to let love drive our decisions with a specific goal in mind.
In many Christian circles, Christian liberty can be taken for granted and we can easily forget what it is all about. Our liberty can easily be used in a way that is harmful. But how can we know if we’ve crossed “the line”? Can drinking alcohol or eating meat be considered wrong before God? Scripture provides... Continue Reading
They Never Saw This Coming
“Say to Joseph, ‘Please forgive the transgression of your brothers and their sin, because they did evil to you.’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” (Gen. 50:17)
I do hope you have felt this type of desperation. I do hope you have entered into this type of pleading. I hope this not out of a twisted desire for your suffering but a biblical desire for your joy. I hope this because their pleading looks remarkably similar to the posture of the sinner... Continue Reading
Surprised by Trials
Preparing for Unexpected Suffering
This lack of preparedness was exposed by my shock when I received my diagnosis. I thank God now for revealing through leukemia that my faith was shallower than I thought and, over time, helping me to surrender to and trust him in deeper ways. A year ago, at age 46, my life as I... Continue Reading
7 Ways to Raise Godly and Strong Women
What is the use of being strong if it’s not for a good purpose?
We want our young women to be strong for the right reasons, to fight for the right things. Young girls should be encouraged then to learn the Scriptures and see the beauty of Christ as it shines forth in the word of God. Understanding the truth of the gospel and how it impacts their lives... Continue Reading
“For the Sake of the Gospel”—The Apologetic Speeches of the Apostle Paul in the Book of Acts (Part Two)
We can learn a great deal about Paul’s approach to proclamation-defense with those with whom he found common ground in the pages of the Old Testament.
Unlike the pagan Gentiles, who did not have and did not know the Old Testament, when dealing with Jews and “God-fearing” Gentiles who knew and believed the Old Testament, Paul could go to the synagogue, find a willing audience, and then “reason” with them directly from the Scriptures. Paul did this by “explaining” and “proving”... Continue Reading
No Longer Children
While a child’s naivety can be endearing, it can also be endangering. Disciples need to distinguish between truth and error, to watch their step and guard their ways.
The faith of which Paul speaks is the body of teaching that promotes the knowledge of the Son of God. The reference is not faith but the faith, the good deposit entrusted to the church to be protected and propagated. I would suggest that the faith is no better introduced than in the Apostles’ Creed.... Continue Reading
The Key To Evangelism
The gospel is a global call to union in Christ.
God ordains for Philip to be in a particular time and place. He does this by sending an angel to guide Philip. And he leads him to an Ethiopian eunuch who had come to Jerusalem to worship but is now on his way back home. In our lives, we see something similar. God’s providence is... Continue Reading
Two Verses that Prove Man did not Invent the Gospel
There are two verses in particular that have blown my mind recently that I believe prove that the Gospel is so antithetical to human nature that it proves that it is born of God.
Some verses are so crazy that they remind us that the Gospel works so much in the opposite way that humans think or act that it couldn’t have possibly been made up. As Spurgeon once stated, “I am sure it is God’s Gospel; for nobody could have invented it. A plan so just to God,... Continue Reading
How To Prepare For Sunday
My pastor often encourages us to read the sermon passage ahead of time
“I’ve found it beneficial to set aside Sunday as a Sabbath. This keeps my mind free from the unfinished to-do list and creeping deadlines. I also avoid vegging out in front of the television—I can’t ponder eternity when the capacity of my mind has shrunk to the size of a screen.” What did you... Continue Reading