He puts away filthy language and rejects bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice. He is kind to others, tenderhearted, and forgiving, just as God in Christ forgave him. True masculinity begins with aggressively fighting our own self-love, covetousness, pride, and boasting. It looks like abandoning speech that defames, denigrates, or demeans others and instead... Continue Reading

Our Lord spoke words that instructed ignorant hearts. Jesus’ speech repeatedly demonstrated the prediction of Isaiah 11:2, “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—a Spirit of wisdom and understanding, a Spirit of counsel and strength, a Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.” Thankfully, the same Holy Spirit that empowered... Continue Reading

To avoid root fallacies when interpreting the meaning of biblical words, use the help of reliable lexicons along with knowing how the same writer uses the particular word elsewhere. Then strive to understand the word in its immediate context. Your understanding of the Bible will be noticeably and fruitfully enhanced.   The very first fallacy... Continue Reading

The Biblical Counseling approach to counseling does not come “ready-made” in the Bible, but rather is “one outworking of biblical faith into the particulars of our time, place, problems, and persons.”27 In other words, there is no such faithful counseling that says, “Here’s a Bible verse, now go in peace.” Counseling takes time, patience, and effort.... Continue Reading

The primary attribute of leadership in any sphere is taking responsibility for others.  Saul failed to take responsibility, so his dynasty was never established.  On the other hand, David took responsibility long before donning his crown, so his dynasty was the longest in history.[3]  But ultimately, David was established and Saul was not because it... Continue Reading

Joy is completed when we share it with others in a reciprocal way (Phil. 2:1-3). An increase of the joy of God’s people proclaims the gospel and unites our hearts in our delight in Him (1 Thess. 2:19-20). This unifying joy is only a picture of what will be revealed on the last day when... Continue Reading

It is the reward that awaited Jesus when He finished His work on earth and returned to His Father’s Presence and glory. And it is the reward held out to all who take seriously the news that their lives have been hidden with Christ in God, that, believing in God, He will reward them with... Continue Reading

Low tide isn’t only the portent of a return. Low tide reveals the terrain of the land that the sea has shaped. High tide covers the sea’s effects, but when the tide is low we see things that had before been obscured. In the same way, secularization has revealed Christendom’s effects in a new way.... Continue Reading

When we think about what Satan is doing in the world, it seems obvious that Satan’s decisive destruction will occur not in circles huddled around a pentagram chanting “Hail Satan” but in Christian counseling groups where participants look one another in the eye and tell each other that God is fine with their sin. Indeed,... Continue Reading

The newborn baby laid in the manger wasn’t wearing the well-made, beautiful clothes of a high priest; rather, he was wrapped in cleaning cloths for animals. He didn’t look glorious or important, but his job was the most important in the world—to give himself throughout his life and in his death on the cross to... Continue Reading