How the Fear of God Casts Out Other Fears
We are to be ruled by a fear that brings peace rather than by fears which bring disorder.
One of the first steps before us in order to cast out fears is to reorient our desires to the things God promises and away from the things we would like to guarantee for ourselves. The latter is a sure path to fear, anger, discontent, and conflict; the former is essential to casting out the... Continue Reading
Your Preaching is Primarily for Believers
Sermons are for Christians, first and foremost.
The church is the meeting of God’s people. What happens in it is for the benefit of God’s people. Others are welcome to look in, but what we say and do is necessarily for the believers. It is in taking the gospel out to the world that preach the good news to the perishing. ... Continue Reading
Eucharistic Donkeys
Donkeys we are and forever will be—carrying the burden of Jesus, finding rest in the peace of our Lord.
When Jesus calls to us, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden,” he gives us himself. When we come to the altar, we receive Jesus himself, for the Eucharist is nothing less than the real presence of Christ. He replaces the burdens loaded upon us throughout the week with a burden that... Continue Reading
The Devil’s Favorite Question
How Much Will You Lose?
Wisdom promises short-term pains but long-term gains. Proverbs 3:1–10 has five sections that call us to a certain action with an incentive that follows that action. It’s a “rule-reward” pattern. Verses 1–2 introduce the pattern and verses 3–10 show us how it works out in four specific areas. “How much will you lose if you... Continue Reading
Be Convinced That the Sabbath Is the Sacred Day of God
The Sabbath was instituted by God as His holy day.
To have a firm foundation for keeping the Sabbath in a profitable manner, you must be convinced from the Scriptures that the Sabbath is the sacred day of God. Then you are able to wake up on the first day of the week and say to yourself, “My God has set apart one day in... Continue Reading
“Help! I Can’t Concentrate When I Read My Bible”
What can we do about it?
Listening to God’s voice isn’t easy, but the most valuable things in life rarely come easy (Prov 2:1-5). That copy of the Bible in your home is an unexplored diamond mine, which is calling for your exploration. When Christians start to get properly acquainted with their Bibles, exciting things happen! Lots of us struggle to concentrate... Continue Reading
God’s Grace is Sufficient in Your Weakness
We want to rejoice in God’s good plan in our lives and His supply of grace.
God’s grace is sufficient in your weakness – whatever that is – today as well. If you are physically weak, spiritually weak, emotionally weak, or mentally weak, in any case, God promises to provide you the strength in your weakness today and this week. What an incredible gift from God! Do you ever feel a... Continue Reading
Love and Respect: Rediscovering the Beauty of Biblical Marriage and Gender
Paul makes very clear that every marriage is to reflect the relationship between Christ and the Church.
In a culture that has lost its way on marriage and gender, one of the best ways we can display the Gospel is by embracing what Scripture teaches about them and living lives that display their beauty to the world. Christians need to take their cues from Scripture and perform the marriage and gender dance... Continue Reading
The Surprising Fruit of Cultural Christianity
Cultural conformity to biblical morality can even work as the catalyst to help an unbeliever realize that they need Christ.
If you live in a part of the country (or world) that’s more “culturally Christian,” don’t merely look down on those who you live among as being “inauthentic Christians.” That’s your mission field, and the fields just might be ripe for harvest. Several months ago I had the opportunity to visit some family friends... Continue Reading
“Guilt, Grace & Gratitude”: Part 1 — Guilt
We are all guilty before God.
Where is the exceptional self-made saint? There is “none…no, not one…together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Rom. 3:10, 12). We cannot escape our guilt and sin because we are “by nature children of wrath” (Eph. 2:3) and there is no escaping nature—it is what we are. “If you, who... Continue Reading
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