Grab bag

I came across these articles a while ago (some a few years ago) but they are still helpful: “I Know a Place…” is a good reminder about an essential place (and Person). Jeremiah 17:9 is often misused and misapplied leading to discouragement and even despair. John Piper helpful asks and answers, “Is the Christian’s Heart […]

Another thought about redemption

Still a few more leftovers from Sunday’s sermon on redemption: while it is always good to speak of the truth of God’s work for us on the cross, how might we stimulate our hearts to gratitude and joy in that work, and transformation by that work? Here are three suggestions for what you might do […]

Christ’s work of redemption

In his book, Scandalous, D. A. Carson has a helpful discussion of the concept of redemption and its use in the ancient world — In our world a word like redemption belongs to God-talk. In other words you normally do not talk fluently about redemption in everyday life. Redemption is something religious people talk about. […]

Why Read the Bible?

Don Carson answers the question, “Why read the Bible?” by first noting why we shouldn’t read the Bible: HT: Desiring God.

The beginning of idolatry

D. A. Carson — With everybody wanting to be at the center of the universe, there can only be strife. I know full well that nobody goes around chanting, “I’m at the center of the universe.” Yet if I were to hold up your high school or college graduation class photo and say, “Here’s your […]

Carson on temptation

D. A. Carson talks about overcoming temptation — “it’s a worship issue…” This is a helpful follow-up to this morning’s post, “Gospel consequences.” HT: Desiring God.

Grab bag

Some helpful articles spotted recently: A lesson in truth-telling, and what makes Christians different: “Mike Daisey, Apple, and Our Culture’s Crisis in Truth-Telling.” “Temptation Is Not Sin,” writes Bill Mounce. He makes three points: 1. Temptation is not sin, 2. No one can make you sin, and 3. God is on your side. The question […]

The beloved Son

It seems self-evident that a father would love his child. There are aberrations to that statement, but in general it’s true (as Christ Himself verified, Mt. 7:9-11). Even unredeemed men enjoy taking their sons to the park to throw the ball and are happily willing to sit down with their elementary-aged daughters for “tea.” And […]

Escape pain at all costs?

D. A. Carson deals with the question of why God doesn’t always heal people. Start at 1:27:00 —

Approved by God

It was an incredible offer. Thousands and thousands of dollars were at my disposal. Power, I was told, would be mine. Prestige. Privilege. All because I had been pre-approved for a Platinum Visa. Or if I preferred, I could opt for the offer of a Gold MasterCard that came from another bank that same day. […]

For the Love of God – a free book

Several years ago I read through the Bible using Robert Murray M’Cheyne’s Bible reading plan — a plan that leads the reader through the OT once and the NT and Psalms twice in one year. Somewhere during that time, I was made aware of D. A. Carson’s two-volume set For the Love of God, in […]

Book Review: The God Who is There

Title: The God Who is There: Finding Your Place in God’s Story Author: D. A. Carson Publisher: Crossway, 2010; 234 pp. $16.99 Recommendation (4-star scale): Three days ago our church again began our annual trek through the Scriptures. Now one of the so-called problems of reading through the Bible in one year is the inevitable […]

Are you pure in heart?

A believer in Christ is to be pure. In one sense, he already is. The blood of Christ has been applied to his life, and all the impurity of his life — past, present, and future — has been removed. He stands guiltless before God. (That’s an amazing sentence!) But in another sense, he is […]

Holiness is not peripheral

The book of the month for January is The Holiness of God (Tim Challies has a good review of the book). Why pick a book on holiness? Aren’t we over-saturated with talk about holiness? Do we need to read another book or hear another sermon on holiness? We are Christians; we do know that holiness […]

Today’s Quote – Approval (Carson)

D. A. Carson, The Cross and the Christian Ministry: …many of us…have unwittingly become more like Corinthian Christians than like Pauline (that is, biblical!) Christians. Many of us are well-to-do and comfortable, with little incentive to live in vibrant anticipation of Christ’s return. Our desire for the approval of the world often outstrips our desire […]