High Places
The story of high places in Israel reminds us of the importance of worshiping God only as He has directed in His Word.
Efforts to go beyond God’s Word in worship do not end well. Efforts to “improve” worship based on our feelings, preferences, pragmatics, precedent, popularity, or good intentions do not end well. The story of the high places teaches us to be content with God’s revealed will for worship, reminding us that He will never fail... Continue Reading
Walking Through the Psalms
Simplicity in Psalm study is sometimes where we find the treasure.
There is something incredibly transferable about the blessing of Psalms. The simplicity of application, the power of the imagery, the brevity of the written context – it all means you have something to share with others in conversation or with friends via text message. Psalms is a book that joins you in the most secret... Continue Reading
Before You Pack Up and Leave…
What should you do when you find yourself eager to slip out of one church and into another?
The fact is that in a consumeristic culture like this one—a culture in which the customer is always right—too many people leave too many churches too easily. It’s unlikely that any of us is above the temptation to depart for poor reasons and to leave behind us a trail of hurt and confusion. So before... Continue Reading
How to Forgive
Jesus unhesitatingly does demand that we forgive.
Our debt to God is jaw-dropping. Take a moment to consider just how deep God’s forgiveness is for you. What debts has God released you from? What sins have you committed against your Creator? Consider the cost of that forgiveness. Spend time reading the accounts of Christ on the cross and see the love of... Continue Reading
3 Reasons to be Careful of What You Say Today
Words Reflect Our Hearts
Our words are like water. Water is the stuff of life, but water is also incredibly destructive. Just like water, our words are incredibly powerful to either destroy, or to build up, especially to those we claim to love. When we are dealing with something that powerful, we would be very wise to be careful.... Continue Reading
Getting to the End
Finding Faith in the Eternal Promises of God
When God makes a vow we have no reason to ever doubt His word. It is sure and without fail. That’s really what perseverance is all about. The deep knowledge that when the Lord has elected us before the foundation of the world to be His covenant people, He has fashioned a vessel of mercy... Continue Reading
“The Most Difficult Thing of All”: Luther on Justification and Passive Righteousness
There is nothing more difficult than assenting to passive, rather than active, righteousness (that is, the righteousness of Christ rather than of ourselves) in relating to God.
“We always repeat, urge, and stuff people full of this topic about faith or Christian righteousness so that it would be preserved and accurately distinguished from the active righteousness of the law. (For from and in that teaching alone does the church come into and remain in existence.) Otherwise, we will not be able to... Continue Reading
The Centrality of the Gospel
To be unified in the gospel, you must begin by getting the gospel right.
Healthy churches don’t just use the gospel as a tool they have been given. They don’t think or talk about the gospel like it is merely an addition to their lives. But rather, they cling to it, with every ounce of their collective being, because they know that without it, they are both hopeless and helpless.... Continue Reading
Hot Indignation Seizes Me | Psalm 119:53
A society without any friction whatsoever is as useful (and as dangerous) as a bunch of dull knives.
Let us ask ourselves in the heat of our anger against injustice: Am I indignant because God’s name is not being hallowed, because His kingdom is not being valued, and because His will is not being done, or is it my own name, kingdom, and will that are being transgressed? May we have a fiery indignation for God’s law, but may... Continue Reading
If You Don’t Give Them Jesus Then What’s the Point?
Churches are there to proclaim the excellencies of God’s glory. We are there to make much of Jesus, to point people to him and encourage his people on in him.
People can get their tins of beans and get taught the alphabet in loads of places across the town; in very few of them will anyone tell them about the life-saving message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That is what the church can uniquely offer. The gospel. We can help people see Jesus. We can teach... Continue Reading
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