Humbled by grace

Followed relentlessly by police officer Javert, Jean Valjean finds himself with a unique opportunity: another man has been accused of his crimes and is about to be convicted. And if the innocent man is convicted, Valjean will be free. The dilemma is, can he allow another man to be unjustly accused and imprisoned for the […]

Confused about humility

G. K. Chesterton was correct (and could have written this in this morning’s newspaper and it would have been just as fitting as the day he wrote it) when he penned these thoughts about humility and modesty: What we suffer from today is humility in the wrong place. Modesty has moved from the organ of […]

Sunday Leftovers (3/6/11)

A few years ago, Money magazine reported that “When researchers at Duke, Harvard, and Northwestern asked investors how their mutual funds performed last year compared with Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index, a third claimed their funds outperformed the market by at least 5 percent. One in six said their funds fared better by more than […]

Day by Day with Jonathan Edwards

I’m not sure how long this book has been available, but the entire text of Day by Day with Jonathan Edwards is available on Google Books. I’ve been reading this book as part of my devotional reading this year and have found it to be very helpful and encouraging. The editor, Randall Pederson, has selected […]

Another evidence that man is not God

The following report was in this morning’s newspaper: LOS ANGELES — Here’s a finding that may make some stargazers do a double take through their telescopes: There may be three times as many stars in the universe as we thought. Fixing this astronomical miscalculation may force some researchers to reconsider what far-off galaxies really look […]

One must be lost

A man must be lost before he can be found by the grace of Christ. One must be in desperate straights before he might be saved by God’s salvation. A man must be cognizant of and convicted by his unworthiness before God will redeem his sin and use that man for God’s own glory. A […]

The danger of pride

Paul says that humility is an inner attitude that will yield the peaceful fruit of unity in the church body. Echoing the same truth by denoting the danger of a lack of humility, Thomas Watson wrote, How many by the wind of popular breath have been blown to hell! Whom the devil cannot destroy by […]

Sunday Leftovers (12/20/09)

The story of the birth of Christ is populated by a broad variety of people who — superficially at least — seemed to have no particularly significant qualifications for their involvement in the story. The credentials for Joseph and Mary are humble at best: poor, young, alone, largely ostracized by family and friends. The shepherds […]

Today’s Quote – Humility (Ignatius)

Ignatius: Allow (the pagans) to learn a lesson at least from your works. Be meek when they break out in anger, be humble against their arrogant words, set your prayers against their blasphemies; do not try to copy them in requital. Let us show ourselves their brethren by our forbearance and let us be zealous […]

Today’s Quote – Self-Denial (Calvin)

John Calvin, Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life: We are not our own, therefore neither our reason nor our will should guide us in our thoughts and actions. We are not our own, therefore we should not seek what is expedient to the flesh. We are not our own, therefore let us forget ourselves […]

Today’s Quote – Graduation (Hendricks)

Howard Hendricks (answering the question, “Do you have any words of wisdom for our graduates?”): Don’t believe your press reports. It bothers me that many students go out and are successful, which is the beginning of their failure. They believe that it’s them, when it’s not. This is why I would say to someone, ‘Use […]

Today’s Quote (9/20/08)

Thabiti Anyabwile, What is a Healthy Church Member?: How can we know if we are receiving God’s Word with meekness? Perhaps the following questions will help: As we read the Bible, are we reading for information only or with faith that God actually speaks through his Word? When we hear the Word preached, are we […]

Today’s Quote (9/19/08)

Thabiti Anyabwile, What is a Healthy Church Member?: Christians should receive the Word of God with meekness. That is, in the preaching of God’s Word and in Bible study, Christians should remain lowly and gentle before Scripture, acknowledging it as the source of salvation and instruction in godly living. As we come to the Scripture, […]

On humility

God 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 […]