Resolutions, moment-by-moment

Paul Tripp has noted that the effectiveness of resolutions is not in the decisiveness of one moment (e.g., January 1 resolutions), but in the 10,000 moment-by-moment decisions we make to reinforce those resolutions — You and I live in little moments, and if God doesn’t rule our little moments and doesn’t work to recreate us […]

John Piper’s report on his leave of absence

At the end of April, John Piper took an 8-month leave of absence from ministry — no preaching, writing, blogging, meetings, or any other responsibilities, apart from a few select opportunities that were agreed upon with his wife and elders. That leave ended at the end of December, and he is now returning to his […]

Resolved to read and pray

Today many people will make resolutions for the coming year. Even believers will make resolutions concerning their spiritual lives. Setting spiritual goals is a worthy enterprise. But the task of spiritual growth is often overwhelming: where shall we start and what shall we do? We know we need more biblical reading and study and memorization […]

What will God do in 2011?

What will God do in the coming year? What will life be like in the next 12 months? What changes or additions will be made in your life? It’s impossible to tell. No man knows the future — no palm reader, no crystal ball, no horoscope, and no biorhythm chart. Many will be attempting today […]

Book Review: The Call to Joy and Pain

Title: The Call to Joy and Pain: Embracing Suffering in Your Ministry Author: Ajith Fernando Publisher: Crossway, 2007; 192 pp. $14.99 ($7.99 as an ebook) Recommendation (4-star scale): For many generations, the Western church — and especially the American church — has sent missionaries with the message of the gospel to other countries. The […]

How big is your gospel?

We should preach the gospel, Jerry Bridges has said, to ourselves everyday. That is, the gospel is not a one-time event but a lifetime transformation. Paul said that we are not saved by the gospel and transformed by something else. The gospel, like Christ, is our life. A gospel which is only about the moment […]

Grab Bag

A few things I’ve spotted around the Internet recently: The end of the year means the inevitable “year in review” lists. Here is a list of “Top 10 Theology and Church Stories” (with many supporting links) from Colin Hansen. Accordance recounts a brief (and recent) history of the study Bible. [Accordance is my Bible study […]

Day by Day with Jonathan Edwards

I’m not sure how long this book has been available, but the entire text of Day by Day with Jonathan Edwards is available on Google Books. I’ve been reading this book as part of my devotional reading this year and have found it to be very helpful and encouraging. The editor, Randall Pederson, has selected […]

Book blurbs

I have recently finished reading a number of books and pamphlets and the thought of writing several full-length reviews has become too daunting. I know myself and recognize that if I don’t write something short, then I won’t write anything at all about these works. So, in the interest of “something is better than nothing,” […]

One trouble with TV

Phil Calloway, while on his back recovering from an ATV accident, exposed himself to too much TV, and he recognized a particular problem with that: The trouble with TV is that it is filled with whatsoever things are of bad report. Who would keep a friend around who is rude, loud, and uncouth? One who […]

The Innkeeper

For years, John Piper would write four poems each advent season to commemorate the coming of Christ. One of my personal favorite — and evidently the favorite of many others as well — is called, “The Innkeeper”. You can listen to it here, as well as hear about the two influences that motivated him to […]

The way to God is open

Jonathan Edwards contemplated the reality that Christ has made a way available for us to have access to the Father: [God] sits on a throne of grace, and there is no veil to hide this throne and keep us from it. The veil is rent from the top to the bottom. The way is open […]

2011 Sola Conference

Registration is now open for the Sola Conference at Countryside Bible Church. This fifth conference on the sola themes of the Reformation will be held Feb. 11-13 and address the topic Soli Deo Gloria — “to the glory of God alone.” The speakers this year include: John MacArthur, Richard Phillips, Bruce Ware, and Jerry Wragg. […]

It’s Christmas Day

Another poem from Christina Rossetti to stimulate your thoughts toward Christ this Christmas morn: Christmas Day A baby is a harmless thing And wins our hearts with one accord, And Flower of Babies was their King, Jesus Christ our Lord: Lily of lilies He Upon His Mother’s knee; Rose of roses, soon to be Crowned […]

Since Christ has been born…

A few years ago, pastor Sam Crabtree filled in the blanks to the statement, “What Would Not Be if Jesus Had Not Been.” Reading that contemplation and pondering some additional related thoughts then led me to consider the statement, “Since Christ has been born…” Here are the Biblical realities that we, as believers, experience because […]