MP3 sermon audio

Someone recently asked me for some sources of sermons that I liked to listen to on my iPod. Here is the answer I gave him: You are right, I listen to many sermons on my iPod. I would probably start with one of the following pastors (I often like to mix them up, just for […]

Evangelistic attitudes

Yesterday, Ken Currie wrote this over at Desiring God: Evangelism is counter-cultural. It’s true everywhere on the planet, but perhaps it’s especially so in our increasingly post-Christian Western society. We live in a polite culture, for the most part. Talk about religion? You just don’t go there. Talk about how many tornadoes have come through, […]

What makes you thankful?

What makes you thankful? Our lists usually include things like family, a trouble-free day, an extra (unexpected) blessing or two, and our salvation. Since we are to be thankful for all things, those obviously are fine objects for our gratitude. But I have often been impressed by the things that stimulated Paul’s gratitude. And I […]

Phil Johnson exits the blogosphere

Phil Johnson — the right-hand man of John MacArthur, the executive director of Grace to You, and a voice of sanity and reason and theological stability in the Christian blogosphere — retired from blogging yesterday. A sad day for the blogosphere, but a wise choice for him: So: (gladly, with no reluctance whatsoever) I’m officially […]

Do good Christians make bad citizens?

When greeting people in the foyer after a sermon, it’s not unusual for a preacher to wonder, “Just what did they hear today?” when someone says, “I liked it when you said…” and they proceed to tell the preacher something he said that he is quite sure he did not say. That curious wondering might […]

They’re listening…

When our children were young and curious about conversation between me and my wife, I would sometimes begin to venture into a topic that might be inappropriate for the girls, and Raye Jeanne would look at me and say, “Little pitchers have big ears…” It was her way of saying, “Be careful what you say […]

The benefits of conflict

We don’t (generally) like conflict. Typically, conflict is painful. We’ve been hurt by conflict. And we’ve hurt others in conflict. So it’s hard to affirm a statement like, “there are benefits to conflict.” Yet, when conflict is handled well, there are benefits to it. And Acts 15 demonstrates some of those benefits. This chapter recounts […]

Grab bag

Some helpful articles from around the Internet. This week’s articles focus mainly on the topics of technology and counseling: Timothy Raymond has a list of “20 Things Pastors Hear in Counseling.” How many of these are you equipped to help people address biblically? John Piper reminds us why the Psalms are so significant in counseling […]

The process of salvation

B. B. Warfield: Ideally all of Christ’s children were saved before the foundation of the world, when they were set upon by God’s love, and given by the Father to the Son to be saved by Him. Objectively they were saved when Christ died for them on the tree, purchasing them to Himself by His […]

Whom have I in heaven?

It has often been said, “don’t be so heavenly-minded you’re no earthly good.” That is, don’t think so much about heaven that you will be of no benefit on earth to those around you. In truth, most of us are so earthly-minded that we’re no heavenly good. We have put so much attention on the […]

Bragging rights

It’s been called “the Me Monster” — the insatiable desire to exalt oneself and boast in one’s accomplishments. A toddler will say, “Watch me, Mommy.” A mom might say, “I just got my child’s report card today…” A businessman will say, “I just closed the deal I’ve been working on for six months…” A pastor […]

Around God’s throne

Read Isaiah 6:1-5 or Revelation 4-5. Then read this new hymn by Jeremy Walker, “A Mighty Host of Angels Stands:” A mighty host of angels stands Around Christ’s throne in heaven; Their sinless tongues extol his worth, All praise to him is given; With awe recount his mighty works, His face behold with wonder, Lift […]

R. C. Sproul on spiritual fruit

From R. C. Sproul, The Mystery of the Holy Spirit [pp. 165-7.]: Here [in Galatians 5:22-25] the Apostle exhibits the model of authentic righteousness. The fruit is designated as the fruit of the Spirit. Fruit is something that is produced in us. It is not of ourselves. In ourselves we are only flesh. The flesh […]

Spiritual fruit defined

As you think about the presence of spiritual fruit in your life, consider the following definitions of the various aspects of the fruit mentioned in Galatians 5. Is this the kind of fruit that is being produced in your life? LOVE DEFINED: “Love is the commitment of my will and affections to your needs and […]

Are you growing in fruitfulness?

Are you growing in spiritual fruitfulness? There are many questions that can be asked to evaluate one’s spiritual life. (Don Whitney’s book, Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health is a particularly helpful resource). But I ask this question because I think it encompasses many other questions that we might ask about the spiritual life, […]