Teaching in Germany

Yesterday and today (Tuesday and Wednesday), we’ve been teaching through the book of Matthew. We have about four hours each morning (9:30 – 1:30) and have made it through the introductory material and chapters 1-13. That gives us Thursday and Friday to complete the book — I think we’ll make it! The students (about 15-16) […]

Today’s Quote – Scripture (Luther)

Martin Luther: It is a sin and shame not to know our own book or to understand the speech and words of our God; it is a still greater sin and loss that we do not study languages, especially in these days when God is offering and giving us men and books and every facility […]

Visit to Wittenberg

Yesterday we traveled to Wittenberg. It was an extra day built into the schedule to allow us to acclimate to the time change associated with traveling across the ocean before starting to teach today. I have to confess, that the anticipation of going to Wittenberg was a big attraction of this trip for me. It […]

Yesterday in Wittenberg

Yesterday we traveled to Wittenberg — the site where Luther nailed his 95 theses on the church door and also maintained a long-term ministry. We toured his home and the two churches of interest — where he pastored and where he posted his theses. I took many pictures. It was a wonderful day. And then […]

Today’s Quote – Sovereignty (Packer)

J. I. Packer, Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God: There is abroad today a widespread suspicion that a robust faith in the absolute sovereignty of God is bound to undermine any adequate sense of human responsibility. Such a faith is thought to be dangerous to spiritual health because it breeds a habit of complacent inertia. In particular, it is […]

Arrived in Germany

Dad and I arrived today in Berlin — flight was quite early and enabled us to get a nice German meal for lunch (sauerbraten for me) and then go on to a worship service at Crossway International Baptist Church in Berlin. It is an English-speaking church designed to minister to ex-pats living in Berlin along with nationals […]

Today’s Quote – Priorities (Tozer)

A. W. Tozer, The Radical Cross: We Christians do so many things that are not really bad, they are just trivial. They are unworthy of us — much as if we discovered Albert Einstein cutting out paper dolls. Our minds may not be among the six greatest of the ages, but like Einstein’s, our minds […]

A couple more thoughts about worry

As I reflected on Sunday’s sermon a little more, a couple more thoughts came to mind: There were several key statements in the sermon. Among them were: “Worry is the sin of distrusting the promise and providence of God.” [John MacArthur] Worry can come from both affluence and deprivation. Both betray a false priority that […]

Today’s Quote – Gratitude (Piper)

John Piper, Future Grace: There are ways that gratitude helps bring about obedience to Christ. One way is that the spirit of gratitude is simply incompatible with some sinful attitudes. I think this is why Paul wrote, “There must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving […]

Sunday Leftovers (10/11/09)

There’s a problem with worry and anxiety. Worry tends to destroy the body. It can put ulcers on the stomach, sap vitality out of living and drive us to an early death. Worry makes us incapable of handling life’s problems. Worry keeps us from assuming responsibilities and engaging in activities in the service of Jesus […]

Today’s Quote – God’s Love (Hiebert)

D. Edmond Hiebert, 1 Peter: Amid the crushing burdens or the burning trials that often befall the saints, it is the cross and the resurrection of Christ that remain the unshakable demonstration of God’s love and concern.

Today’s Quote – Parenting (Flavel)

John Flavel, A Puritan Golden Treasury: If you neglect to instruct them in the way of holiness, will the devil neglect to instruct them in the way of wickedness? No; if you will not teach them to pray, he will to curse, swear, and lie; if ground be uncultivated, weeds will sprout.

Battling temptation

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve seen more than one reference to articles or books like this one by Jon Bloom: It’s very important that we count the cost of sexual immorality before temptation hits. That’s the time for clear thinking. Temptation clouds our judgment. That’s why we pray “keep us from temptation.” Avoiding […]

The New Covenant, Pt. 2

Part 1 is here. How do these covenants (and particularly the New Covenant) relate to the church? The language of the covenants is clear: it is repeatedly stated by God and the writers of the OT that He is establishing a covenant with the nation of Israel that they will literally inherit. For example: “Therefore […]

Today’s Quote – Discouragement (Spurgeon)

Charles Spurgeon, “The Minister’s Fainting Fits” (in Lectures to My Students): Fits of depression come over the most of us. Usually cheerful as we may be, we must at intervals be cast down. The strong are not always vigorous, the wise not always ready, the brave not always courageous, and the joyous not always happy. […]