God is faithful

God is faithful. We believe that. Or at least we say we believe that. But, most of us still struggle to rest in God’s faithfulness each day. Near the end of both of his letters to the Thessalonians, Paul reminded those readers of God’s faithfulness. We do well to remember those reminders, as well as […]

A testimony of God’s grace in suffering

Steve Saint, the son of Nate Saint, one of the men martyred by the Auca Indians in the 1950s, recently suffered partial paralysis in an accident at his ministry. He gives a testimony to the grace of God and calls others to the missionary endeavor from his hospital bed: He has previously talked and written […]

Despairing and troubled?

When you awakened this morning, did the day seem heavy? Did you awaken expecting the problems of yesterday to seem lighter and a resolution more likely only to feel as though the problem grew in dimension during the night, obscuring any possibility of hope? Despair and discouragement are not unusual. The psalmists felt those pains […]

Grab bag

Some 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 […]

Why trust God?

When in difficulty, it is tempting to despair. We look at life through dark-colored lenses and see only trouble and no hope. We see only trial and persecution and no deliverance. We might say with David (Psalm 57): My soul is among lions; I must lie among those who breathe forth fire, Even the sons […]

Taking a test

I was not a particularly good test taker in school. I didn’t care for them (I’d say I hated them, but we’ve taught our children not to use the word hate in that kind of context, so I refrain). I would much rather write a paper — or several papers — than take one test. […]

Free audiobook: Trusting God

This month’s free audio book from Christian Audio is Jerry Bridges’ book, Trusting God. This is a book I’ve recommended often and read and referred to multiple times for my own spiritual benefit. Download it at Christianaudio (No purchase necessary).

Trust in the Lord

We know God is infinite in all His attributes. And that, by definition, means that there can be no limitations to His abilities and works. As Jesus has said, “All things are possible with God” (Mk. 10:27). We know that. And yet we struggle to believe it. We are very much like the father of […]

A steadfast mind, pt. 2

Matthew Henry comments on Isaiah 26:3 — 1. This is here the matter of a promise (v. 3): Thou wilt keep him in peace, peace, in perfect peace, inward peace, outward peace, peace with God, peace of conscience, peace at all times, under all events; this peace shall he be put into, and kept in […]

What I wrote on 9/11/01

I wasn’t blogging in 2001. But I was writing an email devotional, and this is what I wrote the day after 9/11/01. “Enemy-occupied territory — that is what this world is.” So said C. S. Lewis nearly 50 years ago in Mere Christianity. Those words are haunting in their poignancy this morning, for as we […]

Do I believe this?

The Psalms repeatedly affirm the goodness and lovingkindness of God. He is merciful. He is trustworthy. Reading Psalm 118 this morning, I wondered, “Do I believe this?” So I turned the statements of the psalmist into a series of questions to test the condition of my heart — Do I believe that God is lovingly […]

Afflicted for the sake of comfort

I don’t recall where I first heard this principle, but after 20+ years in ministry, I believe it is true: in every seat in every sanctuary is a person with a sad story or heartache. Talk to anyone for any significant length of time and ask the right kinds of questions and you will find […]

“Cancer is the best thing that ever happened to me”

Zac Smith died of cancer at 33. He left behind a wife and three children. Yet he said before he died: “Cancer is the best thing that has ever happened to me.” After his death, his wife continued to walk in similar faith in God — “God doesn’t just throw stuff to us and then […]

Matt Chandler helps prepare us for suffering

Matt Chandler is pastor of The Village Church in the Dallas area. Last Thanksgiving he discovered that he had a malignant tumor in his brain. Doctors were able to remove much, but not all of it, and he was given the prognosis of 2-4 years to live. He is in his mid-thirties with two young […]

Can you hear God? A meditation on Exodus 6:9

Sometimes, in the midst of discouragement, it’s hard to see the blessings of God. As an example, consider this morning’s Scripture reading. For all the blessings God had given Abraham (an eternal covenant), Isaac (spared from death on a sacrificial altar!), and Jacob (sons who would be the patriarchs of Israel), there was something He […]