Why Wisdom Is Far More Valuable than Intelligence
A person’s contribution to the world will be determined not by their intelligence per se, but by their wisdom and goodness.
Wisdom can be sought, learned, and increased. But the seeking begins with Jesus Christ and Him alone. Without Christ, without submitting to Him, we are forever condemned to the foolish harm of our souls, and the souls of those around us. Did you know that people pass electricity through their brains (tDCS, “transcranial direct current stimulation”)... Continue Reading
The Means and Design of His Presence
It is God's desire to dwell among His people.
We draw near in our day through the Word of God and prayer, continual repentance and faith, through the filling of the Holy Spirit and joining Him in His mission and continually abiding in Him. He is abundantly available to all those who seek Him, for it has always been His desire to dwell among... Continue Reading
What Is Calvinism?
Calvinism is distinguished by the abiding function of the law for the Christian life.
Essential elements of Calvinist doctrine include the sovereignty of God as demonstrated in His creative power and His providential care, the authority of the Bible as the source and norm for all of life, and both the sinfulness and responsibility of man. The Term Calvinism is a term that John Calvin did not like... Continue Reading
4 Important Things to Remember If You Are a Doubting Believer
Doubt is not the same thing as unbelief.
Though he had doubts, John wasted no time in seeking to quench them. He sent some of his disciples to Jesus to ask him about his ministry. The example of John teaches us to distinguish between doubt and unbelieving skepticism. John had made the largest and most confident confessions about the identity of Jesus. Then, in... Continue Reading
Quit Playing Games With Sin
Quit playing games with sin, but live in the reality of sins forgiven.
The devil doesn’t want you to think that way about sin. He doesn’t want you to know about the “deceitfulness of sin” (Heb 3:13). He wants you to hide your sin. He wants you to secretly love your sin. He definitely doesn’t want you to kill it. He wants to convince you that all will... Continue Reading
Autonomous Man: Battling the Tyranny of Selfism
Repentant man subjects his once autonomous self and now glories in the selfless Savior.
To battle the spirit of selfism, individuals must repent of their pride-filled selves. The apostle Peter exhorts that it is high time to “humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Pet. 5:6). Only those individuals truly “under God” (His governance) as saved by and submitted... Continue Reading
Christ’s Work in the ‘Heavenly Places’
The entire Christian life is spiritual warfare, and we must remember who our battle is against when we proclaim the gospel.
Paul’s teaching on “the heavenly places” in Ephesians reminds us of important truths. Jesus’s reign at God’s right hand in heaven is foundational for God’s purpose to make all things right in heaven and on earth (1:20–23). On account of their union with Christ, believers have been blessed with every blessing of the Spirit (1:3)... Continue Reading
Circumstantial Evidence: A Lesson from Gideon
The circumstances of Gideon’s life contradict the word of the Lord. But God is not ruled by circumstances; God defines circumstances.
The Lord is with you, mighty warrior? Now that is a shocking statement. It is shocking because Gideon was not a mighty warrior. He was threshing wheat, a common and necessary practice, but the usual practice of threshing wheat was to cut the stalks and then beat them with a rod. You would then discard... Continue Reading
The Doctrine of Humanity and a Pastor’s Ministry
The doctrine of humanity is not only essential but also has existential relevance.
Fast-forward millennia of human history, with God’s promise of sending a redeemer gradually taking shape (see Gen. 3:15) through a series of covenants and promises, and we arrive at Jesus. Jesus is at the very heart of history. As Paul writes, though Jesus “was in the form of God,” he was “born in the likeness... Continue Reading
The Normalization of Slander
May God help us resist the impulse to be so blinded by the rightness of our cause that we do the work of the Accuser.
Our social media habits have made slander so prevalent, so normal, that we’re willing to overlook its pernicious effects as long as it helps our cause or confirms our narrative. We no longer see this sin as disqualifying. We no longer even see it as sin. I fear we’ve normalized this form of worldliness to... Continue Reading
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