One of the remarkable truths of Christ’s work at the Cross is that Christ bore the sin of all of His people, and He bore the holy wrath and justice of God toward His people. This is what is referred to as substitutionary atonement–Christ died in the place of sinners. Another wondrous truth is that... Continue Reading

Your faith is weak, and so He trusted Himself to the Judge who judges justly. Your sins are great and many, and so He bled in your place. Your chains held you fast, and so He broke them asunder. All this was done through a horrific death.   Here, with a loaf of bread and... Continue Reading

Imagine, even though the disciples are with Jesus, even though they have seen him miraculously provide food, even though they know better, the disciples still worry about simple provision. How like them are we?   Mark 8:4 And his disciples answered him, “How can one feed these people with bread here in this desolate place?”... Continue Reading

If you’re waiting for God to answer a prayer, too, I trust He is teaching you something in your meantime. I’m reminded daily that God’s calendar is not my calendar. What seems like a long time to me is hardly long for an eternal God. He is never hurried nor late, never worried nor uncaring,... Continue Reading

By God’s grace, even in such deep sorrow, I came to understand that God was faithful and worthy of my trust in this dark valley—whether he answered my plea or not. Christians, our hope must be in the God who answers prayer, not in the answer we think we want to our prayers.   Trials.... Continue Reading

As Jesus did with the rich man (v. 18), he now makes clear to his disciples that, left to ourselves, ‘this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God’ (v. 27). God’s kingdom completely upends the economy of this world. And the shameful death of Jesus on the cross is its... Continue Reading

When you interact with others, do you speak of Jesus as if you were dying? If you’re dead, no scorn can touch you, no persecutor’s torments hurt. No jail can keep the dead locked up. “We died before we came here!” declared Stephen Foreman[1].   Have you ever tried to life your life like you... Continue Reading

“Image” and “likeness” are terms that signify our uniqueness and dignity before God, and the representative role we play for the entire creation as God’s servant priest-kings. The terms are holistic referring to humans as a whole, that indicate a vertical relationship between humans and God that can be described in terms of obedient sonship,... Continue Reading

The Word of the King is the source of all creation, the means of revelation, the authority by which we live, and the power by which we are saved. From the first “Let there be light” to the final “It is finished,” the King’s Word accomplishes all things.   The King speaks, and the world... Continue Reading

Mark gives a vivid portrayal of Jesus in His full humanity…he has given us an authentic picture of Jesus as “God with sandals on.” In Jesus, the Creator of the universe has become local.   Most New Testament scholars agree that Mark was the first of the four gospel accounts to be written. Mark’s gospel... Continue Reading

As much as the story of Ruth and Boaz sounds like a fairy tale, it is our story too. God’s redemption is for the far-off, the marginalized, and the outsider. He spreads His wings over us, at great cost to Himself purchases us, and gives us a kingdom and an inheritance. Like Ruth, we are... Continue Reading

The wisdom of the world will enslave you, but what appears to the world to be the foolishness of the cross of Christ will set you free: For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians... Continue Reading

It’s important to reject the simplistic narratives of Spiritual Boomerism and engage more seriously on these issues in ways that take account of the truth that’s in those narratives, but also recognize the complexities of life and society today. And ways that have a sense of empathy and genuine concern for the young people in... Continue Reading

When grief comes at the news of a fallen brother, don’t waste it. Look at your patterns and habits. Look at your walk. Look at your marriage. Look at your relationships. Look at your time alone. Be ruthless in dealing with anything the Spirit graciously exposes that might be a tipping point into moral failure.... Continue Reading

The true grace of God for your journey home is not ease and comfort, but many sorrows and suffering here — expected, designed, limited, and rewarded — endured in faith, mindful of God and Jesus Christ, and with inexpressible and glorified joy. Which leads to boundless, uninterrupted bliss when we’re finally home.   As I... Continue Reading

I love the idea that God is quite willing and able to do more than I ask for, more than I can even imagine. I far too often doubt his ability and question his plans for me. I let the circumstances all around me define how much faith and trust I have, instead of looking... Continue Reading

The priesthood of all believers is a very important doctrine that says all believers are called to be witnesses of Christ, and all of us share in Christ’s ministries. We are called by Christ and empowered and anointed by his Spirit to be prophets in our society, to be priests in our society, and to... Continue Reading

In Christ, we are new creations, born again, empowered to live the Christian life. And because we are working from salvation and not for salvation, our work is no longer to gain favor with God, but simply to please Him (Colossians 1:10).   God is at work in us who believe (Phil 2:13). He empowers us... Continue Reading

Often your pastor is carrying around other people’s burdens that he cannot, for many good and godly reasons, share with you….There is a part of the calling of Christian ministry that must be done in the silence of the prayer closet….90% of his life is taken up with what may be 10% of yours. This... Continue Reading

Sampson’s story is amazing, for sure. It’s a warning to us all not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to, and to take heed that we fall not into the great sins that Samson did. But there are several ways in which the story makes us long for a true Savior who... Continue Reading

Friend, true freedom doesn’t come when we’ve successfully hidden; it comes when we’re found out but still accepted and cherished through God’s gracious love. Run to the true Light—Jesus himself—and find the forgiveness and freedom you long for in him.   My friends Ben and Paige have a 3-year-old named Ruth who loves playing hide-and-seek.... Continue Reading

We can make an idol out of anything; so can our kids. But until we start to spot the idols in our lives, we can’t help our children see the false sources they turn to. Evaluating why we do what we do helps us identify our idols and subsequently turn from them.   The concept... Continue Reading

Wineapple, the author, tries to parallel Bryan with today’s “Christian nationalists”… [she] stresses that southern segregationists opposed teaching evolution while also admitting that black Christians largely agreed. The Scopes Monkey Trial was about two opposing forms of progressivism. Both claimed to defend the vulnerable. Bryan and Darrow in the end were too absolutist to find... Continue Reading

Ephesians 1:13–14 states that in Christ we “were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it.” A seal in the ancient world did three things: it authenticated, it secured, and it marked ownership. All three elements are probably in view here. The seal of... Continue Reading

Countless people through history would have loved to have the access to God’s word that we enjoy today. We can read and we have it (most of the time) in our own language. We can afford it; we can get access for free on our phones or the internet. We have it in audio form... Continue Reading

Keep your burdens before the Throne of Grace. Prayer is an essential part of trusting the Lord in difficult times. In prayer, we unburden ourselves from our issues and give them to the Lord. This reminds us that the Lord hears, knows, and acts for us, His people.    Trust in the LORD with all... Continue Reading

Jesus didn’t just say to make disciples. He also gave his own brief summary of the announcement that is the core of the gospel we are to use in making disciples: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (28:18). There, in 12 words, is Jesus’ gospel summary that needs to... Continue Reading

Jesus changed the meaning of death for those who follow him. Death is no longer the wages of sin. The atoning death and victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ has forever changed the face of the last enemy. Christ has made death a friend to be embraced, unafraid. Death has now become the doorway to eternal... Continue Reading

“He looked at me under the gallery, and I daresay, with so few present, he knew me to be a stranger. Just fixing his eyes on me, as if he knew all my heart, he said, “Young man, you look very miserable.” Well, I did; but I had not been accustomed to have remarks made... Continue Reading

God’s people aren’t just saved by some benign but far-off deity. Rather, we are saved by the Incarnate God who unites us to Himself. He is a personal, knowable God who personally saves His people to Himself, literally unites Himself to His people. How can I pray to God as my Father? Union with Christ.... Continue Reading