The message of the cross

What is the message of the cross? “For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, “I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE.” […]

Carson on temptation

D. A. Carson talks about overcoming temptation — “it’s a worship issue…” This is a helpful follow-up to this morning’s post, “Gospel consequences.” HT: Desiring God.

Infographics — in case you wanted to know

Tim Challies is producing a series of graphics (called “Visual Theology”) that summarize and synthesize in pictures various important doctrines or biblical principles and teachings. These are very helpful. Visual Theology – The Order of Salvation Visual Theology – The Attributes of God Visual Theology – The Books of the Bible Visual Theology – Think […]

Gospel consequences

What happens when people believe the gospel? Many times I’ve prayed with people who expressed an interest in trusting in Christ and after the prayer, they look up and say something like, “I don’t feel any different.” Perhaps they are expecting a warm and happy feeling like seeing a cuddly puppy or cute baby. That […]

God has many people

When reading Scripture, it is possible to understand and interpret a passage correctly and apply it inappropriately. The result is that while we may be “encouraged,” we are encouraged by a wrong idea or by a right idea in a wrong way. For instance, one might read God’s words to Paul in the vision in […]

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 […]

Making mountains out of molehills

I needed this reminder from John Newton today: The hour is coming when we shall be astonished to think what mere trifles were once capable of discouraging us; for though many things we now meet with have a kind of importance respecting the present life and our natural feelings, yet when we come to see […]

Resolved conference

Today is the final day of the final Resolved Conference. You can find all the audio from all the conferences, including this year’s, on the Resolved media page. This year’s speakers included John MacArthur, Steve Lawson, Al Mohler, Austin Duncan, Jonathan Rourke, C. J. Mahaney, Carolyn McCulley (women’s breakout session) and the founder of the […]

David, the Shepherd

Spurgeon’s comments about David, from Psalm 78:72 — So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart. David was upright before God, and never swerved in heart from the obedient worship of Jehovah. Whatever faults he had, he was unfeignedly sincere in his allegiance to Israel’s superior king; he shepherded for God with […]

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 […]

Stand firm

In junior high I wasn’t much of a fighter. I was big, but conflict and fights were of no interest to me. However, junior high is a time when many boys/young men are interested in fighting as a means of demonstrating superiority, strength, and “manhood.” On one occasion, while walking home from school, I was […]

Books and libraries

It’s no secret that I enjoy books. A really good day is a day off that is rainy and cold that forces me inside with no inside tasks to do so that I can sit in front of our fireplace and read all day. And another good day is having money in my pocket and […]

The judgment of God

The judgment of God. It is a doctrine that many use to denounce and reject God. “How could God be both loving and vengeful and a judge?” they ask. In fact, they often will assert that if God is judge and if God carries out wrath, then they are more god-like than God. Yet Godis […]

When you are sinned against

You cannot keep people from sinning against you. You will be treated unjustly. You will be lied to and gossiped about. Ungodly accusations will be spoken against you — and said directly to you. Others will be angry with you — sometimes because they have misunderstood you and sometimes because they understood you. Sometimes people […]

Keep on

The pain of parenting is not greatest the first time a child commits a significant and serious violation of trust. It is when that child persists in his sin for years and decades. The greatest trouble for a cancer patient is not the first chemo treatment. It is the ongoing chemo treatments, followed by radiation, […]