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 […]
Read More “I am the Lord”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 […]
Read More “It Is Well with My Soul”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 […]
Read More May I Go In There?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 […]
Read More Luther’s 95 thesesWhat 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 […]
Read More Sunday Leftovers — you and your ministryJustin 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 […]
Read More Preparing for Reformation DayJohn 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 […]
Read More Faith and works: Are Paul and James contradictory?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 […]
Read More A steadfast mind, pt. 2Author George Bernard Shaw went to visit fellow Brit and sculptor Sir Jacob Epstein on one occasion. As the artist showed the writer his studio, Shaw noticed a huge block of stone in the corner and asked Epstein what his intention was for the granite. “I don’t know yet. I’m still making plans.” “You mean […]
Read More A steadfast mindToday my Dad and I talked about the nature of the gospel and the reality that it must and will produce transformation in those who believe. There is no salvation without some form of transformation. William Mounce addresses the same issue in his recent blog post, “Is there a difference between ‘certainly’ and ‘never’?” As […]
Read More Implications of believingIt’s just a butterfly. But its development reveals the miraculous nature of divine creation. HT: Justin Taylor.
Read More It would take a miracleCharles Spurgeon: There is no greater mercy that I know of on earth than good health except it be sickness; and that has often been a greater mercy to me than health. It is a good thing to be without a trouble; but it is a better thing to have a trouble, and know how […]
Read More The mercy of sicknessD. A. Carson deals with the question of why God doesn’t always heal people. Start at 1:27:00 —
Read More Escape pain at all costs?Being able to articulate the gospel with accuracy is one thing; having its truth captivate your soul is quite another. The gospel is not just supposed to be our ticket into heaven; it is to be an entirely new basis for how we relate to God, ourselves, and others. It is to be the source […]
Read More The goal of the gospelWe live in a culture and time that weighs the emotive value of love as much more important than the volitional value of love. It has not always been this way: “Often the Puritans would decide to get married before they knew who they were going to marry. They would decide it was time to […]
Read More The Puritans on love
