The following is an excerpt from a letter from John Berridge to a fellow minister who had recently injured himself in a bad fall. Dear Sir, I received your letter, and dare not say that I am sorry for your fall, nor indeed for any afflictions that God lays on His children; they are tokens … Continue reading Fierce Furnace, Gentle Grace
The good times are to be expected, and the hard times are surprising and strange. Perhaps that unconscious assumption is causing us grief. In his book Jayber Crow, Wendell Berry describes the “old-timers” in a way that seems lost on many people today. He says: “As much as any of the old-timers, he regarded the Depression … Continue reading Finding Strength in Hard Times
One of the most perplexing questions of the faith is this, “Why doesn’t God just reveal Himself? Why does He require us to believe what we can’t see?” It certainly would seem much easier to be a Christian if we could look up and see Jesus looking down at us. The preparations required to debate … Continue reading Why Does God Require Faith Without Sight?
Standing at my window one day, while the cholera was raging in London, I saw two corpses carried by, followed by one little child, walking alone next to the coffins, with a few neighbors behind. That child was now an orphan. Both parents had been carried off by the pestilence. The sight of that child … Continue reading Spiritual Orphans: Forgetting our Heavenly Father
The fear of God is the essential part of true wisdom. As Solomon has said, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding!” (Proverbs 9:10). Even though this Godly wisdom may be reputed as folly by the ungodly world and considered an indication of a disordered mind, … Continue reading The Difference Between Education and Wisdom
"Strive to enter in at the narrow gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able!" Luke 13:24 This is the only gate which leads to pardon of sin, peace with God, and Heaven. Whoever goes in by this gate, shall be saved. Never, surely, was a gate more needed! Sin … Continue reading A Gate Made for Sinners
Peter delivers a succinct yet profound directive to believers in 1 Peter 4:7. He tells us, “The end of all things is at hand; therefore, be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers.” However, many misread Peter’s primary point—they lose it in the details. While many interpret Peter’s main instruction as a call … Continue reading Prayer as an Indicator of Spiritual Health
Many of us have slipped into an Evangelical assumption about the Christian life that does not align with Scripture. We live a Christian existence that is far from the biblical reality. We have begun to see the spiritual life as not much more than attending church to listen to sermons—some good, some bad, doing our … Continue reading Evangelical Assumptions About the Christian Life
It is sad to say that the precious doctrine of limited atonement is reviled by some. John Wesley and company used to refer to Calvinism as the “doctrine of demons,” and surely limited atonement was seen as the crown jewel in Satan’s coronet. This is a tragedy because this doctrine reveals to us the heart … Continue reading The Beauty of Limited Atonement
Based on how you lived last week, what was your primary pursuit? Was it career, money, recognition, promotion, family, pleasure, or something else? We often know what the correct answer should be, but our lives often paint another picture. We are all living for something; whatever it is, we believe it will bring us happiness … Continue reading Putting Jesus First in a World of Pleasures
The Fight of Faith 