Now thank we all our God

It seems an odd response, but on the week of Thanksgiving, some search vainly for reasons for expressing gratitude. Some are generally just discontent. They have fed the monster of covetousness and greed to the point that they are rarely happy and rarely content and thankful. And on the occasions that they are thankful, it […]

How God used cancer in a 14-year-old

The story of Victor Watters is a story of God’s grace in using cancer for His glory and the good of the cancer-ridden: Undoubtedly, Victor was on a mission to share the gospel with unbelievers — to spread the fragrance of Jesus everywhere. He did so with articulation and wisdom beyond his years. With his […]

When a Christian is married to a non-Christian

Ed Welch offers encouraging words about how a Christian married to a non-Christian should view their relationship, and what kinds of things can be communicated graciously about his or her faith: “You should be thankful everyday that you’re married to a Christian.” She was smiling when she said it to her husband – not angry […]

Grab bag

Some helpful articles seen recently: John Newton, writing his troubled friend William Cowper, notes the hardness of the Christian life — and the grace of Christ: “For every day shows us some new thing in the heart, or some new turn in the management of the war against us which we were not aware of; […]

Biblical counseling conference completed

This weekend was the final weekend of our three weekend, three-month Biblical Counseling Training Conference. The event again proved to be beneficial to many as people came from around the area to receive training towards becoming certified counselors with NANC (GBC is currently the only certified training center for NANC in the state of Texas). […]

Combating worldliness

There are multiple helpful resources available to help us think in godly ways about the world and how we should live in relation to it. Here are five that I have found particularly helpful as I have thought about this topic: Tim Challies, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment R. Kent Hughes, Set Apart: Calling a Worldly […]

Sunday Leftovers — Combating worldliness

Commenting on this morning’s sermon, someone said, “You have to live life with your head up.” That is, you have to live life always aware that there may be an incoming attack to entice you to move away from Christ. The philosophy of the world is always attempting to delude the believer so that he […]

“I am the Lord”

It has been often noted that at the base of all sin is some form of pride. A man pridefully deems that the protection of his finances is more important than the government’s right to tax, so he is deceitful on his 1040 form. A child yearns for a toy and is billigerent in his […]

“It Is Well with My Soul”

The hymn “It is Well with My Soul,” has been well-loved and sung for many generations, not only for its words, but also for the story behind the song. Here is that story, and more of the story than you perhaps already know, and a photo of the original manuscript of the song: HT: Justin […]

May I Go In There?

From Jared Wilson’s blog: This is taken from an illustration in John Phillips’ Exploring Hebrews commentary that has always moved me. Imagine with me a Moabite of old gazing down upon the Tabernacle of Israel from some lofty hillside. This Moabite is attracted to what he sees so he descends the hill and makes his […]

Luther’s 95 theses

On this day, 494 years ago, Martin Luther posted his 95 theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. This event is commonly understood as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. The theses by Luther were concise statements that were written to invite debate with the leadership of the Roman Catholic church. While […]

Sunday Leftovers — you and your ministry

What we do in ministry, we do so that God is glorified, and not us (1 Pt. 4:11). Everything we do in service of Him, we do so that He is glorified. Now the term, “God is glorified” is used commonly but is often not carefully defined. By working for God’s glory, we mean two […]

Preparing for Reformation Day

Justin Taylor has provided a number of very helpful resources explaining the significance of Reformation Day (Monday, October 31) — the anniversary of Martin Luther nailing the 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg in 1517. Among the resources he lists are: 1. Last year I interviewed Carl Trueman about the […]

Faith and works: Are Paul and James contradictory?

John Piper sets out to resolve the question of whether Paul and James contradict each other about the relationship between faith and works: Paul says in Romans 4:2,3: “If Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about; but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? ‘And Abraham believed God, and […]

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 […]