How Do I Live Through a Season of Darkness?
We must wait for the Lord, cry to him, and know that our own self-indictment, rendered in the darkness, is not as sure as God’s word spoken in the light.
We can draw no deadlines for God. He hastens or he delays as he sees fit. And his timing is all-loving toward his children. Oh, that we might learn to be patient in the hour of darkness. Darkness Is Normal It will be of great advantage to the struggling Christian to remember that seasons of... Continue Reading
The Word and Prayer
The word of God not only rouses our souls by the adrenaline of praise, it nourishes our beings for the conduct of life.
The truth of God’s Word will sink deep into our beings, assimilated by the digestive juices of prayer to our spiritual nourishment and growth in grace. Our very beings are affected, sustained, fortified, and changed. By the Spirit, that embraced Word will accomplish the purpose intended for us in it. Prayer in Nehemiah (15) “And... Continue Reading
Don’t Be a Partial Christian
Partial Bible makes only a partial Christian.
Few dare to plunge into the unusual laws and regulations of Leviticus, the troubling histories of Judges, the long prophecies of Isaiah and Ezekiel. Yet if each of these books is from God and ultimately about God, then each book teaches us how we can best honor God. The Bible is a canon, an authoritative... Continue Reading
The Theology of Christmas
What is a Mediator?
“It pleased God, in His eternal purpose, to choose and ordain the Lord Jesus, His only begotten Son, to be the Mediator between God and man, the Prophet, Priest, and King, the Head and Savior of His Church, the Heir of all things, and Judge of the world; unto whom He did from all eternity... Continue Reading
A Case for Seasonal Awareness
This wisdom of the seasons is a wisdom that the Church follows, too.
Instead of having time to become bored, as it were, with resting and naturally begetting excitement for an upcoming event, we instead have no time amid the general rush to keep up with commercial demands. We find ourselves constantly too busy—not only for meaningful connection with other humans, but for celebrating holidays, living seasonally, and... Continue Reading
Consider the Snowflakes
He who has time - indeed, makes time - to craft each and every snowflake uniquely surely has His affections set on you.
When the redeemed observe the faintly falling snow through the universe, their minds ought to turn to the Maker of both snow and universe, the One who crafts each and every snowflake individually, separately, uniquely. A great torrent of white snow settling on a blemished creation ought to remind us all of Him who delights... Continue Reading
Waiting for the Second Christmas
The present misery, need, and decay must pass away and the new day of the son of man must dawn.
Humankind needs desperately to find this deeper meaning of Christmas which transforms people’s hearts and consequently their whole lives and relationships. This is the eternal mystery of Christmas, its great power and light, its everlasting gospel of love, unity and purity, its infinite joy and gladness. We must discover what it means that the kingdom... Continue Reading
2 Things Jesus Did That Everyone Desperately Needs
Peace with God is found only by his grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ Jesus alone.
“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” (John... Continue Reading
Finding Strength in God’s Promises
Letting faith transform your daily life one moment at a time.
Faith, like anything meaningful, needs nurturing. It’s not something that stays strong on its own—we must be intentional about it. These are a few practices that have helped me strengthen my connection to God. Over the years, I’ve learned that consistency matters more than perfection in these practices. Life has a way of throwing... Continue Reading
Honor Your (Elderly) Parents
How adult children ‘make some return’.
There is wisdom in listening to and learning from doctors and experienced caregivers. But Christians have the full resources of the all-wise God available to them — by God’s Spirit, through his word, and among his people. Generational ministry lives in the church, Christ’s body; we are meant to work together as we honor the... Continue Reading
Twenty-Five Marks of Unbelief
Faith gives us peace and comfort in our souls; but unbelief works trouble and tossings, like the restless waves of the sea.
Faith makes us see preciousness in Christ; but unbelief sees no form, beauty, or comeliness in him (1 Pet 2:7; Isa. 53:1-3). By faith we have our life in Christ’s fulness; but by unbelief we starve and pine away (Gal. 2:20). Faith gives us the victory over the law, sin, death, the devil, and all... Continue Reading
How to Thrive in 2025: The Hands of Men and the Hand of God (Proverbs 27:23–27)
Take what God has given you, and make the most of what you have—for him, for yourself, and for others.
The Lord uses His people similarly to provide for His church today. Generally speaking (again, these are proverbs for us today), God desires to bless our faithfulness with fruitfulness to care for ourselves, for others, and His church. Fruit may not always be in dollars and things, but a faithful life is generally a happy... Continue Reading
Appeal to the Man Beneath the Armor
Is anonymity serving a righteous purpose, or is it covering something your conscience knows isn’t right?
If you claim to follow Christ, your interactions—whether in person or behind a screen—are not neutral. Every word you type reflects either the flesh or the Spirit. Anonymity may shield you from others, but it doesn’t shield you from the Lord who purchased you with His blood. He calls you to holiness, even in how... Continue Reading
You’ll Never Really Settle In
The reason why we’re always homesick in this world is because we were made for another one.
C.S. Lewis puts his finger on this desire – a yearning homesickness – as the deepest human longing, and what eventually led him to Christianity. He describes it as “that unnameable something [the] desire for which pierces us like a sword at the smell of a bonfire, the sound of wild ducks flying overhead, the... Continue Reading
Are You Missing Out on the Gift of the Good and Abundant Life?
The abundant life is a life lived with one foot on earth and the other in heaven.
Whether we are consciously aware of it or not, we are all on a search for “the good life.” We are all after that person, place, or thing that will make us satisfied, someone or something that will give us meaning in this world. And since that’s what we’re all looking for, that’s what everyone... Continue Reading
Three Mysteries in the Lord Jesus Christ
He is more than double a king.
Where will you set Christ? Where will you get a seat, a throne, a chair for Him? He cannot be set too high. Nay, if there were ten thousand times ten thousand heavens, and each to be above another, and Christ to be set in the highest of them all, yet He would be too... Continue Reading
Top 50 Stories on The Aquila Report for 2024: 1-10
Numbers 1-10 of the top 50 articles for 2024
In keeping with the journalistic tradition of looking back at the recent past, we present the top 50 stories of the year that were read on The Aquila Report site based on the number of hits. We will present the 50 stories in groups of 10 to run on five lists on consecutive days. Here... Continue Reading
We are Trinitarians
We will know ourselves more fully when we understand God more as Trinity.
Don’t be afraid to call yourself a Trinitarian. We believe in a thrice holy God. This God, who exists as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, redeemed us when we were headed for hell. The Father chose, the Son purchased, the Spirit empowers. As we live, we live in communion with the Trinity.... Continue Reading
The Advent of Expectancy
Christian expectancy is not escapist but realist.
The expectation of joy in Christ and the advance of his glorious kingdom ought to motivate us all to “attempt great things for God.” This optimism, grounded in the gospel of Christ, will prompt us to celebrate the first advent of Jesus, while living zealously anticipating his second advent. When William Carey preached on... Continue Reading
The Problem with the King’s Gospel
You might have expected the King, as the head of the Church of England, to offer more than basic humanist doctrine, tinged with a splash of religiosity.
The main problem with the King’s Gospel [is]…it is a gospel for our age—which is no gospel at all. Ultimately it leaves out the real Christ, and leaves us with a collection of wishes and cliches—which saves no one. In a year when the Archbishop of Canterbury was forced to resign, and with continued... Continue Reading
What Is Happening in Germany?
And Why Americans Should Pay Attention
Germany is historically a Christian country, the birthplace of the Reformation, and a stronghold of Western civilization. Although much of the nation has secularized, the remnants of Christian Germany are still visible in places. If Germany as a nation survives, those historic roots could serve as the foundation for Christian revival. With the recent... Continue Reading
How Can Christians Claim Old Testament Promises as Their Own?
All the promises of God find their Yes in Jesus.
Jesus is the ultimate king of Israel. He’s the ultimate human. That is, he’s not the first Adam, but he’s the last Adam. And every one of the promises that were made in that previous era become ours—every one of them—through Jesus. Growing in Holiness This is an important question, because promises are the... Continue Reading
What’s Wrong with Wanting Grandchildren?
With more millennials choosing no kids, would-be grandparents mourn the end of their family line.
The view that children are unnecessary burdens or optional accessories did not start with millennials, but it has reached its logical conclusion in that generation. The rapid disappearance and replacement of once-common family relationships, including siblings, cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents has made the world lonelier for young and old alike. People often joke... Continue Reading
Christianity and the Mind
Believers must regain the use of the mind for God’s glory.
So many believers need to begin to think, and to think carefully, for God’s glory. Here are 30 quotes by 17 Christian authors (out of so many) stressing the importance of loving God with our minds and with the totality of our being. Some cynics might think that my title offers an oxymoron. ‘What, do... Continue Reading
The Eternally Begotten Son
What must we confess to believe about Jesus to be orthodox?
In the early fourth century, the Council of Nicaea convened to discuss the nature and personhood of Jesus Christ. Was Jesus simply another being, created by God? Or, was He truly God and truly man, not created but eternal? What was the true relationship of Christ to God the Father? The Nicene Creed sets... Continue Reading
Top 50 Stories on The Aquila Report for 2024: 11-20
Numbers 11-20 of the top 50 articles for 2024
In keeping with the journalistic tradition of looking back at the recent past, we present the top 50 stories of the year that were read on The Aquila Report site based on the number of hits. We will present the 50 stories in groups of 10 to run on five lists on consecutive days. Here... Continue Reading
Millions of Americans Will Do Anything for Their Kids’ Sports, Including Cutting Church
Travel sports has grown into a $39 billion dollar industry while churches are seeing a decrease in members and Sunday worshippers.
On average, kids are spending more than 16 hours each week in sports. Practices, games, and tournaments are eating up a large portion of a family’s time together. And when stressed and overbooked families are looking at their weekly schedules, it is often Sunday worship and midweek church activities that don’t make the cut. ... Continue Reading
The Collected Best Christian Books of 2024
The titles that generated the most positive buzz throughout the year.
A few years ago it always seemed simple to find a few consensus picks. Recently, though, it has become far more difficult. So while I scour as many lists as ever, it is rare for a single book to appear on more than a handful of them. With that in mind, here are the ones... Continue Reading
The Light That Shines Above the Void
Recognizing meaning beyond ourselves makes possible all we cannot understand directly—demons, angels, evil, and unrelenting love.
An image of a baby lying in a rented hay box is so far removed from the world’s view of success that it can only come from another place, and mean something completely different. Imagine for a moment that there is nothing of worth in this world, as worth has no intrinsic meaning. Each... Continue Reading
It’s a Wonderful Strife
Do not grumble. Simple enough, and yet so incredibly hard at times.
As the Author and Perfecter of our faith, the Lord “who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). Let us, in imitation of our God, live a life of joy no matter the strife... Continue Reading