The true spirit of prayer

What kind of spirit is most conducive to God-exalting prayer? In his sermon, “Hypocrites Deficient in the Duty of Prayer,” Jonathan Edwards provides insight into an attitude that will stimulate believers into greater dependence on the powerful sufficiency of God: The true spirit of prayer is no other than God’s own spirit dwelling in the […]

What God will not give you

God can and will do for His own, “far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20). But there are some things that He will not do for us or give us. He will not lead us into temptation. And He will not share with us His glory. Thomas Watson says it […]

Prayer and the power of God

We have something to say to God every day. Many are not sensible of this, and it is their sin and misery; they live without God in the world, they think they can without him, are not sensible to their dependence upon him, and their obligations to him, and therefore for their parts they have […]

Is Christ before all in my life?

Jonathan Edwards makes a statement that begs the question, “Is Christ before all things in my life?” Which is simply another way of asking, “Do I live for God’s glory?” Or, “Do I worship God above all else, or is there some form of idolatry that is usurping the right position of God in my […]

On reading your Bible this year

Here is an encouragement to not only read the Bible this year, but also a motivation for reading the Bible — because it is worth knowing more than any other book or truth — For some years now I have read through the Bible twice every year. If you picture the Bible to be a […]

Looking back to look forward

Is there a benefit to looking backwards — to evaluating the past in anticipation of setting goals for the future? Thinking not of individuals, but of the church, Stephen Nichols offers this insightful thought — The study of church history may be best viewed as a second-order discipline. It is subservient to our study of […]

Saved from what?

The word “salvation” means “rescue.” And in this rescue the believer is rescued from two different objects. He is rescued from the wrath of God — in a very real sense, salvation is not just to God, but also from God — from His wrath. But the believer is also rescued from the ongoing effect […]

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 […]

What is sin?

Were we able to daily understand the reality of sin and its consequences, it would have far less attraction to us. Two statements from two different writers have helped me in comprehending what sin really is. I have heard John MacArthur say on numerous occasions, “Sin is what we do when we are disappointed with […]

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 – Thanksgiving (Chesterton)

G. K. Chesterton, A Short History of England: I do not, in my personal capacity, believe that a baby gets his best physical food by sucking his thumb; nor that a man gets his best moral food by sucking his soul, and denying its dependence on God or other good things. I would maintain that […]

Today’s Quote – Idolatry (Keller)

Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods: Many, if not most, of these counterfeit gods can remain in our lives once we have “demoted” them below God. Then they won’t control us and bedevil us with anxiety, pride, anger, and drivenness. Nevertheless, we must not make the mistake of thinking that this story means all we have to […]

Today’s Quote – Christ’s Love (Bunyan)

John Bunyan, All Loves Excelling: …that a person so great, so high, so glorious, as this Jesus Christ was, should have love for us, that passes knowledge. It is common for equals to love, and for superiors to be beloved; but for the King of princes, for the Son of God, for Jesus Christ to […]

Today’s Quote – Weariness (Warfield)

B. B. Warfield, “The Religious Life of Theological Students:” Other men, oppressed by the hard conditions of life, sunk in the daily struggle for bread perhaps, distracted at any rate by the dreadful drag of the world upon them and the awful rush of the world’s work, find it hard to get time and opportunity […]

Today’s Quote – Idolatry (Keller)

Tim Keller, Counterfeit Gods: What many people call “psychological problems” are simple issues of idolatry. Perfectionism, chronic indecisiveness, the need to control the lives of others — all of these stem from making good things into idols that then drive us into the ground as we try to appease them. Idols dominate our lives.… The […]