Deceptive desires

It was when she was at the peak of her fame and fortune with 146 tournament victories behind her, married to tennis player John Lloyd that Chris Evert-Lloyd commented: “We get into a rut. We play tennis, we go to a movie we watch TV, but I keep saying, ‘John, there has to be more.’” […]

A sweet aroma

A writer for Leadership Journal recounted the following story: Deep-sea divers recently recovered a leather case containing 40 small vials of perfume oil from the wreck of the Titanic. The little bottles, which probably would have been sold in New York as the ingredients for cologne, belonged to a businessman from Manchester, England. When they […]

God as our portion

The man who has God, though he has nothing else, has everything. And the man who has everything, but does not have God, has nothing. So posited C. S. Lewis. And echoing his thoughts is Jonathan Edwards, who meditates on the importance of our readiness to let go of all possessions for the sake of […]

Your soul’s best interest

Our Scripture reading this morning included some of Solomon’s counsel to his son — Do not let your heart envy sinners, But live in the fear of the LORD always. Surely there is a future, And your hope will not be cut off. (Prov. 23:17-18) There is a relationship, this wise father advises, between an […]

Whom have I in Heaven?

When offering the gospel, John Piper asks the question, “If you can have all the good things and blessings of Heaven, and God is not there, do you still want Heaven?” The point of the question is to elicit what the desire of the individual is — does he want God, or merely the good […]

A really good word about killing sin

This may be the best sermon I’ve heard in weeks or even months. In his final message at the Bethlehem Conference for Pastors, Sam Storms proposes that the best way to fight sin is to have a different affection. Instead of telling people seek God instead of pleasure, Storms says that we must seek our […]

What could you do…?

Adolphe Monod observes, as D. L. Moody did in a previous generation, that it is unknown just what might be accomplished through the life of an individual wholly committed to God: We have no idea of what we would be able to do if we were completely lost in such total harmony with God; if […]

Today’s Quote – Desire for God (Lundgaard)

Kris Lundgaard, Through the Looking Glass: Some who seem to be sincere believers never stop to meditate on Christ and his glory. Oddly, they claim that they want nothing more than to see his glory in heaven forever. How can we reconcile this? It is impossible for someone who never delights to reflect on the […]

Today’s Quote (10/2/08)

Charles Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students: Dwell in God, brethren; do not occasionally visit Him, but abide in Him. They say in Italy that where the sun does not enter the physician must. Where Jesus does not shine the soul is sick. Bask in His beams and you shall be vigorous in the service of […]

Sunday Leftovers (3/25/07)

All men thirst for God. They know they are thirsty — that they need something to satisfy their deepest desires — but they know not that their thirst is for God. This leads them to drink all manner of worthless and detrimental water. In Finding God in Unexpected Places, Philip Yancey recounts the following story […]

Sunday Leftovers (2/18/07)

People are clueless about Christ (if they are unbelievers) and the power of Christ in their daily activities (if they are believers) because they do not want Him to intrude on their lives. They want trivial happinesses and self-indulgent pleasures (and lack of pain) without the transforming work of Christ in their hearts. Jesus said […]

For the love of God

One of my favorite statements from one of my favorite Puritans, Thomas Watson: The first fruit of love is the musing of the mind upon God. He who is in love, his thoughts are ever upon the object. He who loves God is ravished and transported with the contemplation of God. “When I awake, I […]

Chambers on “Fellowship in the Gospel”

In this morning’s devotional from My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers addresses the topic of a purpose-driven life that is rooted in the desires of God. After sanctification it is difficult to state what your aim in life is, because God has taken you up into His purpose by the Holy Ghost; He is […]

Sunday Leftovers (10/8/06)

A leftover thought (or two) from Sunday’s sermon….. Near the end of the sermon on Sunday, I made the statement, “If Christ is not satisfying to you, you have likely never really tasted of His greatness and goodness.” If Christ doesn’t quench your thirst and make you happy and glad with Him, then you probably […]