The New Testament corrects our misunderstandings and our propensity to curve inward on ourselves. Peter instructed his readers in 1 Peter 4:10: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace”   I loved watching the Chicago Bulls in the 90s because Michael Jordan was... Continue Reading

God’s silence is often misunderstood. We wonder if he has abandoned us, is punishing us, or doesn’t care. When we have no answers, we might fill in the gaps ourselves, assigning motives to God based on what we see. David felt abandoned as he fled from his enemies, crying out, “My God, my God, why... Continue Reading

A declaration of forgiveness must follow the Confession of Sin; without it, we would be left in despair. But, praise the Lord, our sins are atoned for, and we enjoy sweet communion with our Lord!   Reformed worship is profoundly theological. From the Call to Worship to the Benediction, the liturgy of our services exclaims... Continue Reading

“Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them” (Col. 3:5–7, ESV).   “you turned to God from idols to serve the... Continue Reading

The people blessed by God are about to receive a curse from a foreign agent. If the decisions of other gods could be manipulated by practices such as divination, then maybe God’s plan for the Israelites could, likewise, be changed. God’s promises were able to withstand insurrection (Numbers 16), foreign armies (Numbers 21), and, of... Continue Reading

Faith is not just an important thing for Christians; it is THE important thing. Faith alone in Christ alone, as the Reformers would say. But as we emphasize the necessity of faith, let’s make sure we understand that it is more than intellectual agreement. That it is not passive. And that it is transformational.  ... Continue Reading

How does the New Testament authoritatively explain the particular Old Testament text before you? Through the light of the revelation of the gospel of Christ you are equipped to recognize clearly Jesus in the shadow lands of the Old Testament.   In the wake of the death and resurrection of Christ a number of Jesus’... Continue Reading

Scripture and our daily devotional/prayer time…focus us on kingdom things and help keep worldly cares from dominating our thinking. Are you able to “get away” for a while and give God your full attention? Or are daily devotions just a duty?   Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And... Continue Reading

The authentic Christian life is built on the authentic God. He is the Rock, and there is no other (Isaiah 44:8). He is the Lord, and there is no other (45:5). As His people together pursue authentically loving and living for Him, in many ways it will look very ordinary. But it is utterly extraordinary.  ... Continue Reading

In the book of Genesis, we can notice that God’s words to Abraham were reiterated to the later patriarchs—to Isaac and then to Jacob. The reiteration of promises showed a continuity of God’s covenant plan.    When the book of Joshua begins, the key character is not the young man he once was. Many years... Continue Reading