One of the saddest consequences of living under guilt and shame is that it slowly snuffs out hope. Parents begin to pray with less expectation. They start believing that redemption stories are for other families, not theirs. Yet hope is not rooted in circumstances—it is rooted in God’s character. Scripture calls him “the God of... Continue Reading

If the universe is ultimately impersonal, then personhood is an accident, and meaning is an illusion, and conscience is a chemical trick. But we do not live that way. We live as though truth matters, as though love matters, as though right and wrong are real, and as though persons have value. The worldview has... Continue Reading

Roman Catholic theologians are in error not by claiming that good works are necessary but only in how they claim them to be necessary. Good works are not a necessary condition for salvation but a necessary result of salvation. In other words, good works do not contribute to the declaration of righteousness in our justification, but they do necessarily... Continue Reading

Most people who fall away from the faith don’t experience a sudden, Damascus-road-type de-conversion. Studies indicate that a strong majority of those who leave the faith do so gradually. Every time we ignore the urging of our conscience we smooth and broaden the path of apostasy. We need to develop the kind of spiritual disciplines... Continue Reading

By ruling creation in righteousness, we would have displayed God’s loving character throughout the world. By serving God in the obedience that He created us to perform, we would have reciprocated God’s amazing love to us. Before sin, God’s law was not a miserly imposition. It was a blueprint to show us how best to... Continue Reading

The ordinances themselves are means in Christ’s hand, and do not hide Him from the believer, but rather give a representation of Him. Yet it is only a small and dark glance that they give of Him (1 Cor. 13:12). In the ordinances we do see Him, but only as in a glass darkly, or... Continue Reading

Weeping is often compassion’s signature. Find compassion in Jesus’s response to a hard-hearted Jerusalem: “And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it” (Luke 19:41). Paul responds in a similar way to the Corinthians: “For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not... Continue Reading

The omniscient God who created and transcends time is our best source for facing our fears of the future. He sees tomorrow better than we can see today. Our Father can therefore prepare us now for what comes next while shaping our unseen circumstances for his greatest glory and our greatest good. All the while,... Continue Reading

Once we know Him; and are convinced by the Holy Spirit that He is who He claimed to be–we are able to see clearly that any religion that fails to put Him (Jesus) at the heart of their worldview or perspective, is ipso facto (automatically) fallacious.  Our understanding of this does not necessitate our becoming obnoxious or unpleasant;... Continue Reading

It’s critically important to recognize that, according to God’s word, there are no modern-day apostles or prophets who can bring new or specific revelations from God. Yet, God has graciously provided a way for us to find answers to our questions. Let me explain. It is vital for every believer to be involved in a... Continue Reading