In a mysterious work of the unseen Holy Spirit…sorrow somehow begins to morph into an abiding hope. The tears that God is bottling somehow accumulate into a holy preparation by which we are being made ready for that tearless life: “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond... Continue Reading

God is our heavenly Father. And like our parents, He’s committed to warning us about the dangers of life in this fallen world. In each warning, He is loving us. Each warning exhibits His patience, faithfulness, wisdom, and grace.…we should listen and obey.   Wisdom for Fools One of the devastating results of sin is... Continue Reading

You don’t need a perfect prayer. You don’t need 45 minutes of clarity. You just need one phrase to anchor you when the tide rises: “The Lord is at hand.”   We love Philippians 4:6-7. We quote it. We put it on coffee mugs and bumper stickers. We rehearse it in our minds when anxiety... Continue Reading

The question isn’t if you will teach them, it is what will you teach them. Teach them the truth.…If we give them all that they need to be able to think critically, but we never give them truth and sound doctrine, then the world will gladly swoop in with cheap replacements.   Children are all... Continue Reading

When we remain loyal to our family and friends at the expense of truth, we ruin everything. The potential for destruction is catastrophic. Sessions split. Diaconates dissolve. Churches crash. The father of lies is happy to see this. But when the name of the Truth is dishonored, everyone loses.   The pastor had finished opening... Continue Reading

I am thankful for Christians who identify the attractions in false religions, cults, or heresies and who teach us how to avoid and confront them. But I repeat this as well: Few can make this their ministry or area of emphasis and remain untainted by evil.   A few years ago, I read of a... Continue Reading

The fading glories of human showmanship will only get in the way of the most remarkable thing of all: when we behold and proclaim the Servant, we proclaim the depths of God, among children or among the nations. And what could be more attractive than that?   There is a perfect storm that might be... Continue Reading

Many believers delay simple acts of faithfulness because they assume they must find the perfect role. Scripture points us instead to the nearest opportunity.   We often hesitate to serve because we feel unqualified or unsure of what to do first. “And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds.”... Continue Reading

Based on the biblical differences between justification and sanctification, there is, on any given Sunday and in any given congregation, a holiest Christian and a least-holy Christian. This isn’t a statement about salvation or justification before God. There is not a least-saved or most-saved person. All the saints of God are equally righteous in Christ.... Continue Reading

Every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. The only question is whether you will confess Him willingly now, or unwillingly then. The world may reward silence and applaud compromise. But the approval of men is temporary. The approval of heaven is eternal.   Accompanying Scripture Reading: Matthew 10:32-33 Jesus never recruited disciples under... Continue Reading