Ultimately, if someone is apologizing for something that didn’t really require an apology in the first place, it just makes things awkward for the person receiving it. And if someone’s behavior really does display a problematic pattern, a constant “oh sorry about that!” does not help. Either way, apologies are a gift from God that... Continue Reading

I continue to be astonished at the number of Christians and their churches and the preachers, casting away their priestly garments for soiled, worldly clothing. They covet what the world has.   (1) “From the blue and purple and scarlet yarns they made finely woven garments for ministering in the Holy Place. They made the... Continue Reading

The main point is not that she is alone, but that she is a godly woman who is also alone. The emphasis is on her character; at least that is how I treat “dependent … independent” constructions in general. How wonderful it must be to be in a church where the truly vulnerable are cared... Continue Reading

The Christian life is a lot like the instructions on the back of your shampoo bottle: lather, rinse, and repeat. In the ordinary rhythm of life, as the word of God is heard, received, and applied to our hearts by the Holy Spirit, we gradually grow in Christlikeness. Our hearts are challenged, idols are revealed,... Continue Reading

Christ the great, final, and ultimate High Priest comes before the Father with power to intercede for His disciples with three requests to bring before His Father. What can we learn about the heart of the Savior from His intercessory requests? What are the three prayer requests that the High Priest presents to His heavenly... Continue Reading

The best of Christian writers from across the centuries keep on directing our gaze to Christ and his work. The seventeenth-century Puritans wrote book after book about Christ, perhaps because it was the glory of Christ that sustained them through their hardships.   Let me tell you a story about a pandemic, lockdown and social... Continue Reading

In times of suffering, we need a God who does not suffer, one who can overcome suffering in order to redeem us and return justice to this evil world.   Ideas have consequences. As we look back at the 20th century, one idea that had serious consequences was the common assumption that God suffers. Influential... Continue Reading

At the deepest levels of reality, our unity is found in Christ. Our union with him by faith runs deeper than anything in this world that would ever tempt us to divide.   There are times when small parts of the Bible really stick out to me. I often feel the urge to just marinate... Continue Reading

Beware of repeating what you have heard without verifying that it is true to Scripture. May the words of wisdom we repeat and the maxims we live by come from God Himself, untainted and untwisted by error.   “I cannot tell a lie,” young George Washington admitted. “I did cut down the cherry tree with... Continue Reading

Thankfully, there are countless pastors that do listen well, that see that as essential to their calling to love and care for their flock. They model wise, thoughtful interaction with others. Yet pastors can stumble in this area and fail to practice what they preach. Why is that?   A while back, a friend of... Continue Reading