How do we live with discouragement? When people look at you, they see courage, but you know it is nothing but a stiff upper lip. The last thing you want to do is burden your loved ones more than necessary, so you keep your disappointment as hidden as possible. The problem is that every setback … Continue reading Discouragement is not Always our Enemy
There is a key difference between sermons and lectures. If a pastor speaks about a passage from the pulpit on Sunday in the same way a professor speaks, there is a problem. A professor’s primary job is to relay information. Good ones attempt to move the heart, but that is not their primary goal. The … Continue reading Revelation is a Sermon, Not a Lecture
Our thoughts are turning with gladness to the first coming of Jesus. The light that shone over the plains is shining around us; the songs which the shepherds heard, we also hear; and the New Hope that filled the hearts of the shepherds and wise men in the eastern land at the advent of Jesus is in our hearts at this time. Yet we are all conscious that nothing is perfect, that much of which he came to do is not yet done, and that the works of the devil are not finally destroyed, that sins are not yet experimentally taken away, that in the spiritual consciousness of the race, God is not yet perfectly known. CLICK TO READ MORE...
We can often find ourselves in spiritually desolate places. What makes a time or place desolate? Sometimes, it is the sin of those around us. People can sin against us, and the pain they cause can be deep and personal. Other times, rulers and authorities grieve our hearts by calling evil good and good evil. … Continue reading God’s Provision in Desolate Places
Christ is always with His people, acting as a shield and deliverer. Our understanding of this truth depends on our ability to recognize the extent and strength of our adversaries, as well as the value of the treasure divinely safeguarded. We face various assaults that only Christ can shield us from. These adversaries, both countless … Continue reading The Watchful Care of Christ
My father is now in his mid-80s and is retired from pastoring due to health issues, but he still fills the pulpit occasionally. One of the struggles his health gives him is shortness of breath, yet it has never stopped him from preaching. Several times, he has been sitting in the pew waiting to preach, … Continue reading Walking in God’s Strength
When scientists grapple with ultimate understandings of the real, they’re escaping science itself and delving into the realms of theology, and that theology is almost always bad. CLICK TO READ MORE...
Justification and sanctification are not the same. Justification happens outside of us; sanctification takes place within us. One is about having righteousness credited to us, while the other involves righteousness being infused in us. Justification is a one-time event; sanctification is a gradual process. One person may be more sanctified than another, but no one … Continue reading The Difference Between Justification and Sanctification
We are all vulnerable to deception. Even the church, which has the truth of God's word and clear commands, can make poor choices if we do not seek the Lord's guidance. An illustration of our vulnerability can be found in the story of Israel and the Gibeonites in Joshua chapter 9. God had commanded Israel … Continue reading Avoiding Gibeonite Deception in Modern Churches
What does it mean that God created us in his image? The Imago Dei is a topic that has been debated throughout church history. I do not expect this post to answer all the questions or be the final thought on the matter, but perhaps it may be helpful to prime the pump. In reading … Continue reading 4 Aspects of Being Made in God’s Image
The Fight of Faith 