Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve been slowly making my way through Nancy Guthrie’s O Love That Will Not Let Me Go: Facing Death with Courageous Confidence in God. I’ve been encouraged by the biblical thinking of godly men about death. This morning I read this from John Eaves, a believer who was diagnosed […]
Read More Thinking about…deathWhen our children were young and curious about conversation between me and my wife, I would sometimes begin to venture into a topic that might be inappropriate for the girls, and Raye Jeanne would look at me and say, “Little pitchers have big ears…” It was her way of saying, “Be careful what you say […]
Read More They’re listening…Grace has been defined as “undeserved blessing freely bestowed on man by God…” If that’s true (and I believe it is), the opening verses of Acts 8 do not appear to be very gracious. “Saul was in hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day a great persecution began against the church […]
Read More Two words of graceSome helpful articles and blog posts I’ve spotted recently: Mike Riccardi [“Learning to Suffer Well: Trusting God’s Absolute Sovereignty”] writes, “…when we suffer, we should not seek to save God from His sovereignty. If we do that, we cut the legs out from under the solid, robust theology of God’s absolute sovereignty that we depend […]
Read More Grab bagJohn Piper introduces the story of Ian and Larissa — a unique couple who married when most would be very hesitant: Being satisfied in God (or anything) always seems easier when all is going well. But when things you love are being stripped out of your hands, then the test is real. If God remains […]
Read More The Story of Ian and LarissaSome helpful articles from around the internet: Tim Challies offers “Seven Ways to Pray for Your Prayer Life.” This is helpful. A new book coming June 1 (ebook) and June 15 (paperback) from my dad: Everything Happens for a Reason?: God’s Purposes in a World Gone Bad. Paul Tautges offers “36 Purposes of God in […]
Read More Grab bagIn A View from a Zoo, Gary Richmond tells about the birth of a giraffe: The first things to emerge are the baby giraffe’s front hooves and head. A few minutes later the plucky newborn calf is hurled forth, falls ten feet, and lands on its back. Within seconds, he rolls to an upright position […]
Read More Who sinned?David: Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning. (Ps. 30:5) Paul: Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory […]
Read More Weeping in the nightSome helpful articles from the couple of weeks: Greg Lucas offers “Seven Lessons from the Disability Community:” God is both sovereign and good. You have been brought into this community for a purpose. Disability magnifies our vision for joy in the smallest things. Community brings much needed perspective Outspoken men are often minorities. When marriage […]
Read More Grab bag“Prepare your people for suffering,” one pastor has repeatedly advised other pastors. He’s right. And his counsel imitates what Christ did for His disciples while on earth, and what His Word repeatedly does for its readers even now. Persecution and suffering are inevitable for the follower of Christ (2 Tim. 3:12). Make a choice to […]
Read More Suffer wellSome helpful articles I’ve spotted around the internet recently: John Knight reminds us about the subtle ways in which the agenda of abortion is pushed in the media. “Three continents. Six children dead. Every headline mistaken.” is a tragic tale of the death’s of six innocent children, and a sorrowful demonstration of how far the understanding […]
Read More Grab bagThe backgrounds to many of our hymns and songs provide additional testimony of God’s goodness and grace, expanding the effect of the words we sing. The hymn, “Just As I Am,” is another work that grows in significance when we learn the story of its author, Charlotte Elliott: Just as I am, without one plea, […]
Read More Hymn Story — Just As I AmThe story of Victor Watters is a story of God’s grace in using cancer for His glory and the good of the cancer-ridden: Undoubtedly, Victor was on a mission to share the gospel with unbelievers — to spread the fragrance of Jesus everywhere. He did so with articulation and wisdom beyond his years. With his […]
Read More How God used cancer in a 14-year-oldThe hymn “It is Well with My Soul,” has been well-loved and sung for many generations, not only for its words, but also for the story behind the song. Here is that story, and more of the story than you perhaps already know, and a photo of the original manuscript of the song: HT: Justin […]
Read More “It Is Well with My Soul”D. A. Carson deals with the question of why God doesn’t always heal people. Start at 1:27:00 —
Read More Escape pain at all costs?
Words of Grace 