Today’s Quote – Love for God (MacArthur)

John MacArthur, “Rekindling Your Love for Christ:” …the Christian life is about loving Christ. [It] is about loving him singularly. It is about loving him totally. It is about loving him sacrificially. It is about loving him obediently. It is about loving him worshipfully. It is about loving him in terms of service. It really […]

Sunday Leftovers, 3/22/09

It is good to maintain doctrinal purity in the church. It’s not only good — it’s the reason the church exists (1 Tim. 3:15) and is our calling and responsibility (2 Tim. 1:13ff). But there is no benefit to maintaining a doctrinal purity and clarity without devotion; nor is their benefit in keeping devotion without […]

Count your many blessings

Today’s reading in the Psalms is a precursor to the hymn, “Count Your Many Blessings.” Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count. Take […]

Are you satisfied with your inheritance?

With all the talk about the economy in recent days, many people’s minds are firmly on what they may or may not have in the future. Dwindling retirement accounts and diminishing potential inheritance bequests have stimulated no small amount of angst among many in our culture. Which makes you wonder what the Levites thought when […]

Today’s Quote – Safety (Piper)

John Piper, “Will We Risk? Venturing in Ministry” (audio sermon only): Safety is a mirage. It ought to be. And yet our churches — American churches — are filled with people who only dream security, now and until they drop dead. Maximize safety. Maximize security. Maximize comfort. It’s the total opposite of the Biblical vision […]

Self-examination and boasting

Self-examination will lead to boasting. At least that’s what Paul says. And he says such self-examination and boasting is good and beneficial: But each one must examine his own work, and then he will have reason for boasting in regard to himself alone, and not in regard to another. Two truths dominate this verse: the […]

Today’s Quote – Safety (Mohler)

Al Mohler, in Preaching the Cross: We live in a world in which it makes sense not to worry. We have childproof caps on our medicine bottles. We have warnings on coffee cups from McDonald’s that we ought not to drive with the beverage in our lap. We have vaccines, antibiotics, MRIs, and CAT scans. […]

After a conference

I typically attend two or more conferences each year. I usually travel to at least one — sometimes two — and usually attend to one or more locally. The benefit of attending conferences is being focused for a particular time on a given topic and interacting on those topics with like-minded people without the distraction […]

Taking a risk

I had been looking forward to David’s sermon Sunday since he told me several weeks ago what he was planning on preaching. I’ve listened to several sermons on the same theme and found myself provoked, but was particularly wanting to hear how David processed his thoughts, having lived through several “risks” that are uncommon for […]

Today’s Quote – Godliness (Brainerd)

David Brainerd, Life and Diary: Some signs of godliness. The distinguishing marks of a true Christian, taken from one of my old manuscripts; where I wrote as I felt and experienced, and not from any considerable degree of doctrinal knowledge, or acquaintance with the sentiments of others in this point. He has a true knowledge […]

Today’s Quote – Heaven (Brainerd)

David Brainerd: I viewed the infinite excellency of God and my soul even broke with longings that God should be glorified. I thought of dignity in heaven, but instantly the thought returned, “I do not go to heaven to get honor, but to give all possible glory and praise.” Oh, how I longed that God […]

Why do you want to go to heaven?

John Piper has refined gospel presentation by asking the question, “If you could have everything good about heaven — no suffering, trouble removed, no pain, no death, no tears, fellowship with others, eternal life, etc… — and God is not there, do you still want heaven?” If the answer is “yes,” then the person has […]

Today’s Quote – Music (Bach)

J. S. Bach: The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul. If heed is not paid to this, it is not true music but a diabolical bawling and twanging.

Today’s Quote – Spiritual Growth (Brooks)

Phillips Brooks: We never become truly spiritual by sitting down and wishing to become so. You must understake something so great that you cannot accomplish it unaided.

The Shepherds’ Conference is over…

The Shepherds’ Conference is over (much too soon), but ministry awaits at home. God calls us to minister in particular places for particular purposes. And where He has placed us (and me) is to serve in Granbury, TX for His glory. And this ministry is a joy. So, while it was a privilege to be […]