Fig-uring Out Christ’s Concern for His Father’s House
The church relies not on its own ingenuity or devices but on the God who is the ground and goal of faith.
The church is to be a house of prayer. It doesn’t need to rely on the ordinary. It shouldn’t be satisfied with small measures. It doesn’t need to turn to human contrivance. It shouldn’t be constrained by sight or limited by seasons. Prayer can and should seek God for great things, wonders beyond expectation, things... Continue Reading
Read the Bible Like Whom?
When we read Scripture, we also want to read it like Christ and his apostles read it.
I recently saw a Christian book advertisement that said, “How to Read the Bible Like (famous pastor’s name here).” Now, the book is probably decent, and the pastor is a solid Christian man, but the advertising line was troubling to me for several reasons. First, it further adds to the celebrity pastor problem in our... Continue Reading
Proof That I Shouldn’t Trust Myself
If I’m not likely to develop complete control of my emotions, then I have to consistently remind myself that they are an untrustworthy guide for my life.
Perhaps God has given us fickle emotions to prove the foolishness of such a basis for decision-making. Why would we determine the most critical aspects of our lives based on something that changes with the weather? Why would we make decisions based on emotions that have proven time and again to be untrustworthy? Christian maturity is... Continue Reading
What Do You Do When You’re In the Pit?
Remembering gives hope and builds faith; imploring puts words to our needs and welcomes God’s timely grace
Maybe you feel stuck in life right now. Maybe you feel trapped and unable to make progress with Jesus. As if your feet trudge through thick, sticky mud and you can’t get to where you need to be. Or you’ve fallen into a pit and you’ve tried to claw yourself out. But it’s just not possible.... Continue Reading
If Christ is Not Risen…
In short, we have everything to lose if we don't preserve the truth of the resurrection and everything to gain by constantly abiding in it.
The Forgiveness of Sins. Perhaps the greatest of Paul’s arguments is that which he sets out in verses 17-18. If Jesus is not raised then no one has their sins forgiven. The logical implication of this is that those who have professed faith in Christ but who have already died have perished because they would... Continue Reading
Lies at the Heart of Addiction
Whatever you are addicted to, try to find the lies at its heart and then attack them with God’s truth
“Every addict tells four kinds of lies: lies about God, lies about themselves, lies about the sin, and lies about others. The only way to deliver addicts is to rip out these lies and replace them with truth.” It doesn’t matter what kind of addiction it is—drink, drugs, food, gambling, porn, spending, tanning, people-pleasing,... Continue Reading
It’s All About the Recovery
We know that God is the God of restoration and recovery in Christ
When we say that so much of the Christian life and pastoral ministry is in the recovery, we are not intimating that it’s all up to us or “we just have to try harder” and “just try to do better.” What we are saying is that what we do after we fail or falter is... Continue Reading
The Practical Importance of Limited Atonement
I have confidence that all those for whom Christ has died will turn from their sins in repentance
“If Christ’s atonement is unlimited, then He universally dies to save every human being. So is my salvation fully accomplished by Christ? Not completely, since I can still suffer the judgement of condemnation for my sins in unbelief. Christ’s offer of salvation becomes provisional, depending on my response.” All too often, when the doctrine... Continue Reading
Why I Believe The Bible
My experience tells me that this is not some ordinary book
“I’ve been moved to tears reading other books, but this book actually reads me, wrecks me, and rebuilds me. What’s more, I’ve seen and experienced this same thing with other people. This change is not limited to gender, ethnicity, geography, or even time. This book claims to change lives, and it actually does.” As... Continue Reading
My Jesus, I Love You; Your Bride I Despise!
How does one love a head but despise the body attached to that head?
Forgive my bluntness, but claiming to love Jesus while wanting nothing to do with the church is just stupid. If the “Jesus” we’re talking about is the God-man whose life, death, resurrection, and ascension is described and defined for us by the inspired writings of those he commissioned to disciple the nations, then the “church”... Continue Reading