Sermon leftovers (1/30/11)

To answer the question “How does a man love his wife?” the question “How has Christ loved the church?” must be answered first. What follows is a list of some of the ways in which Christ has loved His church to accomplish her purity and sanctification (please note that this list is not exhaustive). He […]

How a man loves his wife

Paul tells us that to love his wife, a man gives himself to his wife. Peter tells us that he knows her exceedingly well. He knows her dreams, fears, desires, hopes, longings, strengths, and weaknesses. He knows how to serve her and minister to her and how to lead her spiritually. This does not happen […]

Book Review: Craftsmen

Title: Craftsmen: Christ-Centered Proverbs for Men Author: John Crotts Publisher: Shepherd Press, 2005; 159 pp. $12.99 Recommendation (4-star scale): Talking to someone the other day, he remarked something like, “The hardest thing I do is to try to lead my wife spiritually — why is it so hard to have even a 3-minute spiritual conversation […]

The best sentence I’ve read on marriage this week

Preaching on Ephesians 5:22-33 these weeks, I’ve not only been reading the usual number of commentaries, but also numerous articles and sections of books on the topic of marriage and manhood. So out of all that I’ve read, here is the most helpful sentence I’ve read this week, from a commentator of about a century […]

Jonathan Edwards and marriage

On Sunday morning, we are making our way through one of the most significant passages in the New Testament on the family and on marriage in particular. There is much to be gleaned from these words in Ephesians 5. And there is also much to be learned from the godly example of mature believers who […]

A few more biblical thoughts about abortion

With the passing of the 38th anniversary of Roe v. Wade this weekend, there were a number of insightful posts about abortion. You might consider reading some of the following: The Supreme Court, Roe v. Wade, and Abortion Law – Justin Taylor. Roe v. Wade: Is It Really All About Doctors’ Rights? – Desiring God. […]

Help for Scripture memory

For a number of years, Bethlehem Baptist Church has encouraged the church body to memorize Scripture by publishing weekly “Fighter Verses.” They have also made those available for purchase and have now provided a website with many resources for memorizing Scripture. Among the resources you will find on the website are: a five-year memory plan, […]

Does God get disappointed in believers when we disobey?

Does God get disappointed when we believers sin? Here is a thoughtful and helpful answer from David Powlison: The statement I found particularly helpful: “Being not under wrath but under grace does not mean God is now somehow indifferent and does not respond appropriately to our sins.…There is a fatherly displeasure that God’s revealed in […]

Grab bag

From around the internet: A brief Q&A with Billy Graham revealed some reflections on aging (both how older and younger should think about it) and his life of ministry. I statement that I found particularly interesting: I also would have steered clear of politics. I’m grateful for the opportunities God gave me to minister to […]

Sunday Leftovers (1/23/11)

Husbands, love your wives. Those are easy words to speak — “sure, I love my wife…” we might quickly say. But if the pressure in the crucible increases, what will be revealed? If repeated slights and misunderstandings are left unresolved and accumulate over years, will I still love her? If significant, trust-violating sin intrudes the […]

One more reason why right to life is right

Writing in World a few years ago, Gene Veith contemplated the ethics of abortion: Acting outside of vocation is at the root of many of our problems.…Why is abortion wrong? A mother is called to love and serve her child, not take its life. Why is euthanasia wrong? Doctors are called to love and serve […]

Thirty-eight years of getting what we want

This weekend it will be 38 years since the infamous Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision to legalize abortion in the United States. It is true that the total number of abortions and the abortion rate in the United States have been declining from 1990 until the most recent statistics in 2008, when there was […]

Happy with what you have received?

At Christmas, many presents are unwrapped and on occasion (frequently?) the revelation of what is inside is met with disappointment. The gift did not meet expectations. Life seems to work that way for some people, too. The unfolding of days and the accumulation of years yields a product that is less than what was desired […]

A new Getty song

The Gettys are releasing a new song entitled, “Kyrie Eleison (Lord Have Mercy). Here it is performed by the Christ Church choir in Nashville, TN: Go to Gettymusic for more information.

God is Infinite

When we speak of the attributes and nature of God, we are attempting to comprehend the incomprehensible. Finite beings have no categories for infinity as it relates to time (eternity), knowledge (omniscience), strength (omnipotence), space (omnipresence), morality (holiness and purity), authority (sovereignty), or anything else. Yet, the Lord has given us some ability to move […]