What Is Doctrine and Why Is It Important?
Doctrine is the way the central themes of God’s revelation in Scripture are summarized and taught.
Satan’s strategy is to oppose, subvert, and mute the content of biblical doctrine and dislodge it from its place in the church’s life. God, though, has placed in the Christian’s hand a weapon for defense. It is the very truth under attack. It is what Paul calls the “belt of truth” and “sword of the... Continue Reading
If You Had One Wish
"One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple."
The one thing the psalmist asked was that he might dwell with the God he loved and behold His beauty. It became his ambition. His quest in the midst of adversaries and adversity. A quest that can be pursued in a wheelchair. I try to visit her once a week. Sometimes I have to... Continue Reading
Living With Financial Integrity
When was the last time you gave thought to your personal integrity as it relates to your finances?
A man was sitting at home one day and suddenly the power went out in his home. His wife called out to them to see what happened. Well, he knew exactly what happened; he forgot to pay the light bill. In moments like this, it is easy for us to point the finger, but integrity... Continue Reading
In Defense Of Synod 1574
I have been doing some reading on the struggle between the Reformed ministers and the magistrates in the 1570s and following over how the worship services would be regulated and by what principle.
Heidelberg Catechism 96 articulated“…we in no wise make any image of God, nor worship Him in any other way than He has commanded us in His Word.” Calvin called this principle “the rule of worship.” Since the mid-20th century it has come to be called “the regulative principle,” which may be summarized thus: we do only... Continue Reading
“An Act of Pure Evil” — Searching for Meaning in Las Vegas
Evil points to a necessary moral judgment made by a moral authority greater than we are -- a transcendent and supernatural moral authority: God.
It is both telling and reassuring that secular people, faced with moral horror as we see now in Las Vegas, can still speak of evil as a moral fact — even if they continue to deny moral facts in the classrooms and courtrooms. No one can deny that the horror in Las Vegas came about... Continue Reading
10 Reasons You Can Have Hope for the Future
Your hope for the future isn’t based on you. It’s based on who God is and what he has promised.
Where is hope in this dark world? How can anyone have hope for the future? And who doesn’t face personal uncertainty? You lose a job or retire. What are you going to do now? It seems like taxes keep getting higher. Your home needs maintenance – where’s the money going to come from? And if you... Continue Reading
Hatred in Las Vegas: What if…?
Without knowing the source a cure for hatred can only address the symptoms. So, what is its source?
If it’s true then it means we need a cure that goes more than skin deep. We need a heart cure. Politics can’t change hearts. Laws can’t change hearts. Psychology can’t change hearts. Positive vibes and well-directed thoughts cannot change hearts. Rather, the Bible says only the gospel of Jesus Christ can—only it can address... Continue Reading
One of the Best (and Most Overlooked) Passages that Demonstrates the Divinity of Jesus
That passage is the first chapter of Hebrews.
In the end, Hebrews chapter one functions as one of the plainest expressions of the divinity of Jesus. He is the creator. He is to be worshiped. He rules and upholds all things by the word of his power. Did the New Testament authors think Jesus was God? Some critical scholars would say no. ... Continue Reading
10 Things You Should Know about Christian Meditation
I want to reclaim the word "meditation" as one of the essential spiritual disciplines for all believers.
Meditation is being attentive to God. It is one way we “keep seeking the things above where Christ is” (Col. 3:1). It is a conscious, continuous engagement of the mind with God. This renewing of the mind (Rom. 12:1-2) is part of the process by which the word of God penetrates the soul and spirit... Continue Reading
Learning to Be Rich
God wants us to know there are particular challenges that come with being poor and particular temptations and responsibilities that come with being rich.
There are few of us who do not have more than enough, few of us who are utterly destitute, and especially when compared to brothers and sisters in so many other nations. Even the poorest of us in the Western world have access to rights and perks others can only dream of. The temptation to... Continue Reading