Forgiveness and communion

The practice of communion is not only a fundamental activity of the church, but it is also an indicator of the spiritual health of a believer — including his fellowship with other believers and his trust in God’s work in his life in past events. Your willingness to forgive is directly related to your remembering […]

What do you think of sin?

It is a temptation to think lightly of sin — to ignore it, overlook it, and dismiss it. The temptation is to consider its consequences as insignificant and unimportant. Those who are broken, penitent, contrite, and grieved are considered to be over-reacting and morose. “It’s just not that bad,” too many think. Yet there is […]

A way out of marriage

What is a way out of a bad marriage without getting a divorce? Here is Mike Mason’s answer: One thing that is very important to know in marriage is that there is always a way out. And the way out is not divorce! No, the way out in marriage (no matter how bad things may […]

No guaranteed answers to prayer

Prayer is not a manipulative tool by which we receive our wishes and desires. Our wants may be godly or they may be ungodly. In either case, prayer is not a wishing-well tool to access those wants. The example of Christ demonstrates that God sometimes answers our petitions with, “No:” There are, no doubt, passages […]

Discipleship and grace

Here are two statements worth contemplating that hit my inbox this week. The first addresses the cost of nondiscipleship. We rightly talk about counting the cost of following Christ, and that is obviously wise and biblical to do. But we also are wise to count the cost of not following Christ: This is the picture […]

How big is your gospel?

We should preach the gospel, Jerry Bridges has said, to ourselves everyday. That is, the gospel is not a one-time event but a lifetime transformation. Paul said that we are not saved by the gospel and transformed by something else. The gospel, like Christ, is our life. A gospel which is only about the moment […]

An encouragement to contentment

A favored lament of children is, “that’s not fair!” While spoken in more sophisticated tones and with a slight measure of less whining, adults have their own versions — “I just want what I’m due. I’ve worked hard.” Or, “Why are things always so hard for me? Why can’t it be easy just once?” Or, […]

Blessing God in affliction

Jeremiah Burroughs helps us to think about righteous responses to God in times of affliction. I have used and referred to this section often: …where contentment of heart springs from grace, the heart is very quick and lively in the service of God. Yea, the more any gracious heart can bring itself to be in […]

Entertainment industry, the portrayal of sin, and discernment

From Josh Harris (Not Even a Hint): It doesn’t matter what something is rated, or how popular it is, or how seemingly innocent it appears. If it hardens your heart toward God, if it obscures your awareness of the ugliness of sin and the holiness of God, if it takes the edge off your spiritual […]

Stimulants to gratitude

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about gratitude this week. Mostly I’ve considered things for which I am grateful as I consider the work of God in the ministry at GBC (more on that Sunday). But in my contemplation, I’ve also come across two thoughts that should stimulate gratitude in all of us. The first […]

Storing treasures in our hearts

Richard Sibbes reminds us of the importance of not only speaking the truth, but thinking and meditating on the truth. This is the work and manifestation of a righteous man — one who speaks the truth in his heart: All sin is either from false principles, or ignorance, or thoughtlessness, or unbelief of what is […]

We are beggars

It’s generally not a welcome sight. And it’s not something that is often seen in my neighborhood, nor probably in yours either. But in the neighborhood where my wife and I had our first apartment, it was not unusual to see a man diving in the dumpster outside our apartment for small bits of edible […]

Sleepy thinkers?

Paul is clear that the ability to put off (repent of and stop doing) sin and putting on (embracing and habitually doing) righteousness is the result of allowing the Holy Spirit to renew our minds through the taking in of Scripture. A changed life comes from a renewed mind. The key is alertness of mind […]

What we think is what we are

It seems so innocent, really. It’s just a fleeting thought about a single wayward dalliance. Or maybe it’s just a brief longing for a slight but sweet revenge. Or lingering look at an indulgent — and way-beyond-your-means — purchase. Or the contemplation of a series of stinging retorts that weren’t said and wouldn’t be said, […]

Some things are not worth knowing

Those who are naive are often mocked for their innocent ignorance. Yet Scripture affirms that there are some things not worth knowing. Even more, knowing them is a detriment to our hearts. That’s why God said to Adam and Eve not to eat from that one tree in the middle of the Garden — the […]