History matters a great deal, not because “those who don’t learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Guess what, we will repeat our mistakes of the past, no matter how much knowledge of it we possess. History matters because those who inhabited past times had a nature like ours—on the one hand, possessing great... Continue Reading

Epaphroditus was sent by the Philippian church to bring a monetary gift to Paul. Along the way, he became gravely ill. Paul says three times in a few verses that he was near death. Despite this, he pressed on, prioritizing Paul’s well-being and the advancement of the gospel over his own life. What an example... Continue Reading

 A few years ago, I wrote the book Foundations.  I looked at the apostles’ speeches in Acts.  I demonstrated how their first concerns were to answer foundational questions rather than to impress their listeners with sophisticated complexity.  I am more convinced than ever that our theological energy is best spent chasing four basic questions: what... Continue Reading

Worship involves our heart, which includes our mind, will and emotions. The psalmist calls us to “ascribe to the LORD glory and strength” and “the glory due his name” (Ps. 96:7). We worship rightly when we worship according to God’s word. Worship also involves our bodies. With our hands we are called to “bring an... Continue Reading

The God of the Mess. Think of the “of” in that statement. It’s a possessive. This is God’s mess. Joseph and Mary are in this mess because God put them in it. What is more, it appears that no one bothered to let Joseph know about this situation until Mary was “found to be with... Continue Reading

You have to actually eat a good, healthy meal. And that’s what doctrine is. It’s that good, healthy meal that helps us grow. And it shows us more of God. The adage is true that we become what we behold. And at its best, doctrine is always doxological   Doctrine Is Practical Sometimes we can... Continue Reading

Life is full of masterpieces and works and designs; of inventions and crafts and compositions. From the music of Beethoven to the painting of the Mona Lisa, from the chirping of birds to the sun setting on the shore of a beach — all things would not be beautiful if beauty itself didn’t exist in... Continue Reading

 Nowadays, it is very rare for people to grow up in a stable home and to receive a decent education. It is even rarer for people to have exemplary role models or to have even a rudimentary understanding of the Bible. Most everyone in our culture has significant emotional, familial, financial, and even physical baggage.... Continue Reading

God himself teaches us many good requests. But it is still true that “we do not know what to pray for as we ought” (Romans 8:26). We do not know what is best. Our God is not so afflicted. He plans to answer his children far above what we could ever ask or think —... Continue Reading

The theme of Hebrews is the legitimacy and sufficiency of Jesus as the Christ, the only hope of salvation. To drive this home, the writer begins by showcasing Jesus as the Son of God, the agent of creation and of redemption. From there, he will explain Jesus as better than the angels, better than human... Continue Reading