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. […]

The New Covenant, Pt. 1

This morning we read Jeremiah 31, which contains the promise of God to the nation of Israel that is commonly known as the New Covenant. Because of the words of Jesus, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Lk. 21:20), the question has arisen: “to what extent […]

Today’s Quote – Self-Denial (Calvin)

John Calvin, Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life: We are not our own, therefore neither our reason nor our will should guide us in our thoughts and actions. We are not our own, therefore we should not seek what is expedient to the flesh. We are not our own, therefore let us forget ourselves […]

Today’s Quote – Servanthood (Sanders)

J. Oswald Sanders, “The Revolutionary Leadership of Jesus:” The fundamental lessons that greatness comes only by way of servanthood, and that first place in leadership is gained only by becoming everybody’s slave, must have come as a great and unwelcome shock [to the disciples]. It is noteworthy that only once did Jesus say that He […]

Today’s Quote – Self-Denial (Calvin)

John Calvin, Golden Booklet of the True Christian Life: No on has rightly denied himself unless he has wholly resigned himself to the Lord and is willing to leave every detail to his good pleasure. If we put ourselves in such a frame of mind, then, whatever may happen to us, we shall never feel […]

Sunday Leftovers (10/4/09)

One of the reasons that we are prone to discouragement in ministry (and in life) is because we quietly believe that success is dependent on ourselves. There is a subtle temptation to voice in the inner recesses of our hearts, “I am everything and Christ is neither adequate nor necessary.” Now, few would give voice […]

Today’s Quote – Perspective (Packer)

J. I. Packer, in Discipleship Journal: “We … need to recover a true understanding of human life, a sense of the greatness of the soul. We need to recover the awareness that God is more important than we are, that the future life is more important than this one, that happiness is the promise for […]

Book Review: The Disappearance of God

Title: The Disappearance of God: Dangerous Beliefs in the New Spiritual Openness Author: R. Albert Mohler, Jr. Publisher: Multnomah Books, 2009; 194 pp. $14.99 Recommendation (4-star scale): A number of years ago while attending a conference where Al Mohler was preaching, reference was made to the fact that while Mohler is obviously articulate, well-read, and […]