Overall, I believe that the book, like many other titles from Poythress, is deceptively simple. There’s much richness there for readers who slow down. But for those who don’t, the size of the book shouldn’t be intimidating. Accessibility has always been a hallmark of his theology (along with that of John Frame), and that’s the... Continue Reading

The flesh might seem beautifully sufficient to itself while it strives by its own power, or ascends by its own zeal, or is assisted by the favor of men toward honors and wealth. However, it’s nevertheless certain that all these things will come to nothing and that we will accomplish nothing by our talents or... Continue Reading

God’s absoluteness and infinity can be a wonderful encouragement when we’re filled with doubt on this side of paradise. God had no obligation to create, no obligation to reveal himself, and certainly no obligation to send his Son for our salvation. And yet he did. This absolute, infinite God did. That is love unparalleled.   God’s... Continue Reading

Predestination is the most amazing example of God’s grace to sinners imaginable. For God to choose some people–even with the knowledge of their future sin and rebellion against Him–to save is an extraordinary example of amazing grace. All Christians are recipients of God’s sovereign grace when we least deserved it. We can now go through... Continue Reading

Christian songwriter Michael Card has noted that in the book of Psalms, sixty-five of the 150 songs found there, or more than 40 percent, contain lamentations. As His people live in this sin-cursed world, God knew that they would need help pouring out their souls to Him in distress. So, He provided them with songs... Continue Reading

Most of the YRR/New Calvinist leadership and constituency is actually Baptist. Only one of the three churches, Redeemer Presbyterian, studied by Vermurlen is even formally Reformed. One, Driscoll’s, which arguably most closely reflected the character and genius of the YRR/New Calvinist movement, no longer exists. The other is John Piper’s Bethlehem Baptist Church… The YRR/New... Continue Reading

 The splendor and majesty of the ocean hints of things yet greater. To meditate upon it is to allow the grandeur of the waves to push our thoughts beyond that which we see. Taking in the beauty of the ocean should prompt us to think upon a broader universal order. Ultimately, it invites us to... Continue Reading

When I suffered a paralyzing accident at 17 by falling about fifty feet off a Tarzan-like rope swing, all sorts of trivial pleasures that had been distracting me fell away, driving me to concentrate on my relationship with God. And to this day, my paralysis focuses me, driving distractions away. Although my body is broken,... Continue Reading

The non-Christian is separated from God’s life—the Christian is united to God’s life. This says it all, doesn’t it? The non-Christian does not have the vitality, insight, enthusiasm, wisdom, strength, joy or fruitfulness of the Christian. Do we as Christians live in the power of what we DO have precisely because we are united to God’s life,... Continue Reading

Seeing the aftermath of a car accident can wake you up, in a sad though healthy way, from a sense of escapism and forgetfulness about life’s brevity that vacation trips can produce. They remind you there is much greater journey we are all on. Reading passages such as the one above are to have a... Continue Reading