This is a flash mob I can appreciate…

HT: Challies.

Dangers of unconfronted sin

We are prone to make many justifications for not confronting evident sin in a fellow-Christian. He won’t listen to me anyway. It’s too hard and too embarrassing for me to do something like that. Wouldn’t it be more gracious not to say anything? Isn’t that only the kinds of things radical churches do? It’s not […]

July 4th and freedom

“…knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin.” (Romans 6:6-7) While on vacation a number of years ago, we turned on the […]

Cautions about the sinner’s prayer

Many times I have shared the gospel with someone, only to have them tell me, “Oh, I’ve already done that…I prayed the prayer when I was seven-years-old…” (or “I walked the aisle…”). It’s as if Christianity is a one-time inoculation against all things bad and the dosage never needs to be repeated (or enjoyed). In […]

On the topic of work…

This past Sunday, we considered what Paul said to Titus about those who are slaves and how they are to work and specifically, with what kind of motive they are to work — as a testimony to and adornment of the truth of God (i.e., the gospel). Scripture has much to say about the topic […]

Imitate me

It is a simple, eight-word statement by the apostle Paul, but it sounds bold, brash, and arrogant to our ears: “Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.” (1 Cor 4:16) Yet there is a sound biblical reason Paul offers this command: he was given to them by God as their earthly spiritual father to […]

You’ve heard of T.U.L.I.P.?

The five points of Calvinism have generally been summarized by the acronym T.U.L.I.P. — Total depravity Unconditional election Limited atonement Irresistible grace Perseverance of the saints Someone has recently thought of a new way to think of the topic, and perhaps this might be an easier way for some to remember the points of Calvinism […]

Principles of building

For the third time in five years, today we are receiving new flooring in our kitchen and hallways. The first time, we laid new wood floors over some old, tired laminate. We were thrilled with the way it turned out and loved it. Then one Saturday night at 9:00 I went to get a drink […]

Trusting God

R. C. Sproul, Jr.’s post, “Breaking Hearts,” is a must read for anyone, particularly anyone who struggles to trust God in the everyday affairs of life (which is everyone). His wife died of cancer last year, leaving him as a single father to eight children. A sample… Five days ago, concerned over a radical increase […]

Sunday Leftovers — what’s an employee to do?

One more thought from John Piper (Don’t Waste Your Life) about the value of secular work: We make much of Christ in our secular work by treating the web of relationships it creates as a gift of God to be loved by sharing the Gospel and by practical deeds of help. I put this last not […]

Who was Asaph?

This morning we will read the last of the Psalms attributed to Asaph (Ps. 83). The superscriptions indicate that he also wrote Psalms 50 and 73-83. So who was this man who wrote a dozen of the collected songs in the Israelite hymn book? From 1 Chron. 16:4-5, we know that he was a leading […]

The value of secular work

In anticipation of tomorrow morning’s worship (Titus 2:9-10), these words from John Piper (Don’t Waste Your Life) will help prepare our hearts for the hearing of the Word of God: We make much of Christ in our secular work when it confirms and enhances the portrait of Christ’s glory that people hear in the spoken […]

Grab bag

Some helpful articles from the last week: “Take Care How You Listen,” a free ebook from John Piper. Good preparation for listening to tomorrow’s sermon. When one man asked his pastor, “What Can I Do to Save My Marriage,” this is how that pastor responded. First of all, 1. Decide if you are going to […]

What do we believe about the Holy Spirit?

I’ve posted this chart previously, but since we’ve read this morning about the work of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 2:10-16), I thought it might be a helpful reminder to post a basic synthesis of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit:

Since we believe the cross…

Though the cross is foolishness to unbelieving men (1 Cor. 1:18ff), it is the power and wisdom of God for those who believe (1:18, 21ff). Men look at the cross and ridicule it and shame and despise it. “How might anything good come from a cross?” they mockingly question. Yet the believer understands that there […]