It is the Reformation rediscovery of the gospel that actually makes Christmas and Easter worth celebrating. Sola fide is what takes the amazement of the incarnation, the wisdom of the cross, and the glory of the resurrection, and applies it all to us. It’s what does justice to the person and work of Christ. If we get the... Continue Reading

It makes me want to say a “well done” to those who have decided that instead of resenting what God has not given them they will embrace what he has given them, and steward it with faithfulness. For these are the ones who please him, who honor him, and who magnify his name.   God... Continue Reading

If we really are happy and content in him, letting our faces show it doesn’t hurt, does it? Actually speaking about how Jesus has made us happy and content must be a good and sensible thing. That, I think is why the world needs happy pastors. And not just happy pastors, but happy Christians. Unless... Continue Reading

There is nothing wrong with a healthy argument! Arguments sharpen us and can cause relationships to grow in depth. But we must do it with gentleness and respect (1 Pet. 3:15). We are to obey this command. Biblical counselors can still have faulty, errant presuppositions because we have not yet been promoted to glory. We... Continue Reading

Unless we give the Holy Spirit his due in our teaching and preaching, we settle for an anemic picture of the Christian life and ministry. We must navigate the tension between exaggerating the Spirit’s independent operations and diminishing his importance. Let us gratefully appreciate the Spirit’s vital contribution and be diligent to teach our people... Continue Reading

When we understand that spiritual warfare is more than a metaphor–that it is a fundamental feature of reality–it should cause us to rethink what values we want to cultivate within ourselves and in our communities. One such example is grit. Christians in a spiritual war need to be able to take a punch without losing the will... Continue Reading

We are vulnerable, frail creatures. A tree or two can upend our entire lives. But that doesn’t change the fact that the trees are still beautiful and good. We cannot afford to sequester ourselves off from pain, from danger, from the fear of loss and the anxiety of discomfort. We have to keep planting, keep... Continue Reading

Whether or not a person knows exactly when it happened, there is always a moment in the secret place of the soul when a person who is saved went from being spiritually dead to spiritually alive, separated from Christ to joined to Christ (Ephesians 2:1–7).   Molly Worthen’s Salvation Recently I listened to a fascinating interview on... Continue Reading

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

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