The time God gives us is a gift, not an entitlement. When a repairman is late, the call-waiting tunes seems interminable or the check-out seems ridiculously slow, it’s so easy to get frustrated and internally shout: “Stop wasting my time!” But at the end of the day, it’s not my time at all. God has... Continue Reading

In their low moments, marriages simply reflect the enmity of a fallen world. But at their best, marriages are pictures and foretastes of the Edenic relational synergy that was lost but will one day be restored and perfected as God eternally dwells with his people in harmony.   June is the month of many weddings.... Continue Reading

In Adam, we reached for what was forbidden and fell. In Christ, we receive what we never earned and are raised. In Adam, we were takers by nature. In Christ, we are givers by grace. Let us, then, confess—not only the thefts committed by our hands but also those conceived in our hearts. Let us... Continue Reading

  Some of my fellow biblical theologians may chafe at my interpretation. Adherents of biblical theology, such as myself, believe that specific stipulations of each covenant do not all remain in force, only the overarching promises and principles of some covenants are foundational. The problem is that some writers maintain so few elements from previous... Continue Reading

By desiring to extend the rights of conscience to non-Christians, DeYoung undermines the 1788 Synod’s reasoning for rejecting the protection of pluralism. The American Presbyterians of 1788 were no different from their forefathers of 1646 in embracing the magistrate’s duty to favor the Christian religion throughout the land. They knew that religious pluralism is harmful... Continue Reading

What songs emerge naturally in your church’s small groups? What do the women sing at their Bible studies or what do the men sing at their breakfast gatherings? What music energizes your children’s and student ministries? These organic choices can reveal your congregation’s true musical preferences.   Every worship leader faces the same challenge: How... Continue Reading

For those who are in Christ, our suffering and loss become the very means of knowing him more, being kept by him, and ultimately, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. Our suffering becomes the very means by which we attain the deepest and most lasting joy.   Our Greatest Joy and Our Union with... Continue Reading

You can cover your sin [of unrighteous anger] and make the outer man look good for a time, but not forever. Jesus says that out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. The words we speak proceed from the heart and one day will give account for every careless word.    Anger is... Continue Reading

God acts in ways we do not expect, and there will always be room to sit back in wonder at what God has done and is doing. God works in mysterious ways, and we are privileged to see just a small part of his mighty work among us.   God works in mysterious ways. We... Continue Reading

Parenting is not just about instilling discipline and self-control in our children; we too must cultivate these attributes. Parenting is hard, and that’s where fathers and mothers need to walk in habitual, proactive self-denial (Titus 2:11–12). Assertive self-sacrifice means you are on the clock all the time. This is the most important job God has... Continue Reading