People often talk about our need to think God’s thoughts after him. This is certainly true, but we should also love what God loves. God transforms not just our thinking but our affections as well. And when the things I know and love change based upon God’s work in my life, my commitments will change... Continue Reading

The new life we have by the blood of Christ is ultimately how we must measure victory in this age. True success, as God measures things, is the only path to true joy, even if it leads to our death (Ps. 28:7). Our joy, our victory, and our success are not measured by the things... Continue Reading

Ahaziah’s messengers were en route to Ekron when the messenger of the Lord called Elijah to intercept them (vs. 3). Elijah challenged the messengers as to the reason for their journey. Was it because there was no God in Israel that they went to inquire of the Lord of the Flies, the god of Ekron?... Continue Reading

Hebrews tells us that Jesus is better than Moses. He’s better than the angels. He’s better than Melchizedek. And because He is, we should continue in the faith. We should persevere, no matter how difficult. Here is a message we all need right now. We need it more than a message to return – or not... Continue Reading

Being mindful of mortality is unpleasant not only because it reminds us of the end, but also because it brings gravity to our lives. We are forced to ask, “Is there an afterlife?” Which leads to: “Does what I do here and now matter?” This is where things get rather unsettling. Without a vision of... Continue Reading

The good news in Israel’s sojourn in the wilderness was that God provided manna, quail, and water from the rock. He continued to lead them, despite their disobedience. Their clothes did not wear out and their feet did not swell.Troubling times can cause us to doubt the goodness of God. The key thing is to... Continue Reading

The issue for Calvin was not, first, the well-known sticking points of the Reformation: justification, priestly abuses, transubstantiation, prayers to saints, and papal authority. All those would come in for discussion. But beneath all of them, the fundamental issue for Calvin, from the beginning to the end of his life, was the issue of the... Continue Reading

A properly God-centered theology of worship will recognize that in a corporate worships service, God is the primary actor. It is God who calls us to draw near to him; we do not invite him to come down to us. It is God who speaks to us first; only then do we respond back to... Continue Reading

Be careful who’s influencing you. Be careful of a gradual drift away from Jesus and his people. Do not be ashamed of Jesus, his message, or his people.   Whenever a crisis hits, as it seems to a lot these days, I see a quote from Mr. Rogers posted on the Internet. It’s a good... Continue Reading

Various aspects of American culture troubled him: teenagers openly showing disrespect for their elders, a public school system that he thought was a training ground for unbelief, the fact that many Americans retired without pensions, and so on. The most troubling aspect of American culture, though, by some way, was its deep-seated racism.   Herman... Continue Reading