The prayer of Jesus for His disciples is not simply a historical record about past disciples; it is a living Word that provides encouragement for today. Most directly, Jesus’ prayer (and many of the statements He makes in the Farewell Discourses) has the first disciples in view. Yet Jesus’ prayer also makes clear that the... Continue Reading

The church is given faithful shepherds by God to guard the flock against such fierce wolves. Good shepherds can guard the flock from being carried about by every wind of doctrine only if they instruct the church in true doctrine. In other words, doctrine is not optional. If the flock isn’t taught true doctrine by... Continue Reading

According to the Apostle Paul, the purpose behind a believer’s life is the gospel. It’s a call to allow the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to sink down in you to the degree that the gospel recolors your world, transforms your views, and reshapes your motivations. God has designed for the gospel to... Continue Reading

Therefore, what this truth of this Scripture does is center me. Gives me a rock to stand on in the midst of the torrent of emotions that can make me more spiritually and mentally vulnerable than I’d care to admit… I’m praying there will be an eternally stabilizing recognition, that because of Jesus, we have... Continue Reading

Sometimes the Christian life seems too hard. We look at unbelievers and envy their (apparently) careless spirit. “They don’t live with someone always looking over their shoulder.” Would not life be much easier if Jesus was simply not there? Does any of this describe you? The common thread, manifested in different forms and degrees, is a heart’s desire... Continue Reading

The real distinction between ungodly people-pleasing and God-honoring people-pleasing is about glory. “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do” — pleasing everyone in everything you do — “do all to the glory of God.” Is the driving burden of our love a desire to glorify God, or is it a desire to be glorified?... Continue Reading

Jesus’ parable of the servants entrusted with their master’s gold is a timely reminder. For we too are trusted with little treasures. The story recounts one unfaithful servant, who hid his bag of gold rather than take the measures to invest it wisely.  He alone did not hear “well-done.”   “You’re never too old to... Continue Reading

We see then the purpose of the first advent of Christ. The Logos took upon Himself a human nature, the Word became flesh to effect our redemption by fulfilling the role of the perfect Mediator between God and man. The new Adam is our champion, our representative, who satisfies the demands of God’s law for... Continue Reading

Sometimes we think God is only concerned with our soul. Consequently, we focus on our spiritual life and neglect our physical health. Wrong! Jesus did not just die for our soul; he also died for our body. And why do you think there is bodily resurrection, if our body is not important to God? To... Continue Reading

Never forget that even though we are in Christ and are regenerate and have the Holy Spirit, we can also fall into the sin of seeking to be justified by our actions. Even the Apostle Peter (Cephas) fell into this sin. Peter traveled to Antioch of Syria to the church there. It was made up... Continue Reading