In thinking about ministry and the role of the pastor and the role of the people in relation to 1 Thess. 5:12-24, I came across a story a read a few years ago and a statement about the importance of perseverance in ministry. The story concerns a pastor, John Newton, and a troubled parishioner in […]
Read More An Example of and an Exhortation to EnduranceNumerous factors in the culture of the church have led too many churches and too many people to believe and practice a theology that places the work of ministry on the shoulders of trained professionals and absolves untrained servants of ministry responsibilities. Yet the New Testament has a different view of ministry. Ministry is the […]
Read More Sunday Leftovers (5/6/07)The holiness of God is an oft-repeated theme in Scripture. It is demonstrated in His choice of Israel as His people (Dt. 7:6), the sanctification of that people (Lev. 21:8); His jealousy for that people and His holiness that would not allow Him to overlook their sin (Josh. 24:19); His unique character (1 Sam. 2:2); […]
Read More The Holiness of GodGod has gifted every believer with at least one spiritual gift and at the same time He is also producing His fruit in that believer through the working of the Holy Spirit. So the longer a believer walks with Christ, more and more fruit is produced. And the longer a believer serves Christ in the […]
Read More Sunday Leftovers (4/29/07)This week we have learned the importance and reality of Rom 12:15 — Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. You could not read the headlines, watch the news or hear the reports of what happened at Virginia Tech and not be moved to compassion. Amidst all the “analysis,” however, there […]
Read More A few more thoughts on the tragedy at Virginia TechOn the priority of a personal walk with God — If you are unhappy and discontent or even angry with God, it is the fruit of a heart that has fed too lightly and too little at the table of God — you have learned to be happy with things that cannot satisfy. Modern Christians […]
Read More Sunday Leftovers (4/22/07)At the recent Ligonier Conference, in a brief exhortation, Joel Beeke offered nine reasons to read the Puritans: The Puritans will help shape your life according to the Bible. Puritan writings will show you how to integrate Biblical doctrine into daily life by: addressing your mind, confronting your conscience by exposing specific sins and asking […]
Read More Nine reasons to read the PuritansGod says, “For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith” (Rom. 12:3). How might that kind of humility be […]
Read More On humilityThe events today at Virginia Tech are tragic. Several years ago, after the shootings at Columbine, John Piper compiled 21 ways to love and comfort the hurting. He later revised the list after the 9-11 tragedy. His words are just as appropriate for today. A condensed version of his essay may be found here.
Read More What to say about Virginia TechWhat you believe is reflected in what you do and how you do it. Everything you do reveals something about your belief system. Those two statements are important for individuals and churches as they make decisions about the future. To that end, we have identified a number of truths that are crucial to us as […]
Read More Sunday Leftovers (4/15/07)The life of Christ has been called “The greatest story ever told,” and the resurrection has been called “The greatest event in history” and “The key to everything.” All those statements are not only true, they are crucial. Christianity hangs on the validity of the resurrection, as Paul notes in 1 Corinthians 15. It is […]
Read More Sunday Leftovers (4/8/07)John Owen’s The Mortification of Sin is considered a classic, and 350 years after it was published, is still probably one of the best books on hamartiology (the doctrine of sin) and specifically, how to mortify sin. It has taken me far too long to read it; I purchased it three years ago, and it […]
Read More The Mortification of Sin (John Owen)In a recent men’s study on Proverbs 6, we dealt with the issue of temptation. In preparation, I came across a number of statements about temptation that were particularly helpful: “When a man is confronted with the alluring temptation, he sees only the attractiveness of the desired object; only when his will has sanctioned the […]
Read More They said it better than me: temptationI recently finished reading Steve Lawson’s first book in his new series, “A Long Line of Godly Men:” The Expository Genius of John Calvin. It is more than a biography; it is an examination of his sermon style that has as its aim “to raise the bar for a new generation of expositors.” Several things […]
Read More John Calvin’s Expository GeniusEvery word in Scripture counts. Every word is used by God to reveal Himself and His purposes (which is why Jesus makes statements like “truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished,” Mt. 5:18). Which is why […]
Read More Sunday Leftovers (4/1/07)
