Peter tells us these mighty and terrifying beings were extremely curious about one thing: how and in what time the Christ would come. No wonder it was an angel who delivered the news to Mary in Luke 1. No wonder the myriads of angels rejoiced before the shepherds in Luke 2. No wonder the angels rejoice... Continue Reading

Ezekiel was called to prophesy and to preach, but God was the One who brought dead sinners to life by His sovereign power.  Similarly, though we do not hold the office of prophet, preachers are called to proclaim God’s Word.  We are called to preach about who God is and who man is; we are... Continue Reading

Why would something that sounds so freeing be crushing? Well, let’s say your whole identity is built on what you can achieve or do. Perhaps you want to be smart, successful, and make lots of money and your identity is wrapped up in that. Now, compare yourself to everyone else who is also embarking on this... Continue Reading

None of our good works could save us from the wrath to come. God will read from books containing all that we have ever done, and He will judge us based on what is written in the books. It will become plain on that day that there are none good, no not one. But God,... Continue Reading

Once we’ve detected the Old Testament quotation or allusion and explored the Old Testament background, now we must take a step back and ask the million-dollar question: How is the apostle using the Old Testament? New Testament writers don’t interpret and apply the Old Testament the same way each time. Most contemporary readers assume the... Continue Reading

Prayer is not a side issue. A nice panacea for us when we’re in trouble. A little mantra we chant to make us feel better. Prayer connects us to the God of heaven and can thus do anything God can do. It is not “A” work; it is “THE” work of the believer. We are... Continue Reading

Forgiveness is a difficult doctrine, both to understand and to practice. There will, unfortunately, be situations in all our lives that will require us to extend extraordinary forgiveness to another person. And when those times come, the Lord will be near to help us process our pain and grief, and his Spirit will gently and... Continue Reading

“In your loving concern, set over us a good government that practices justice and opposes corruption.  Give us governmental leaders who will be a terror to all those who do evil, and will praise and protect those who do good.” 1 Kings 10:9; Rom. 13:3   “Lord, thank you for planting us on a fruitful... Continue Reading

Delight requires dedication. It requires discipline. Tuning out the world to center our attention on the God of the universe seems like it should be easy, but experience proves otherwise. Therefore, we must heed the words of the apostle Paul who said, “Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness” (1 Tim. 4:7b NASB). Consistent, diligent... Continue Reading

Because our Father has clearly communicated with us, the Christian life is one of certainty. But what exactly are we certain of? What specific truths keep us tethered to eternity when the tangible world around us is liable to sudden disaster and the mini­van’s check-engine light comes on (again)? God has given us many such... Continue Reading