I saw the effects of it in an old friend ravaged by a virus that attacked his motor skills to the point he lost the ability to speak. I saw it in another friend fighting the grief of losing their spouse to disease. It reared its head in the news of another family friend who discovered their six-year-old has … Continue reading The Tyranny of Sin
This weekend, I had the privilege of preaching a couple of sermons at the First Christian Reformed Church in Artesia. This sermon looks at sin and its consequences through the life of Gehazi in 2 Kings chapter five. There are times when the hand of God is heavy upon us because of our sin, but … Continue reading Sin and Its Consequences
Sin is filth. It is soul pollution. It makes us vile in the eyes of God, and no matter how much pride we take in our sin now, we will one day even be offensive in our own eyes. As sinners, we may do everything we can to maintain our delusion that we are honorable, but every … Continue reading The Filthy Will Be Filthy Still
Warn those who are idle. - 1 Thessalonians 5:14 Take heed of an idle and slothful spirit. An idle life and a holy heart are far apart. By doing nothing, men learn to do evil things. It is easy slipping out of an idle life, into an evil and wicked life. Yes, an idle life is of itself evil, for … Continue reading The Dangers of Being Idle
Contrary to the popular notion, as the pastor preached on hell, instead of pushing me away, he drew me into the grace of God. As I sat there, the preacher was scriptural, somber, and approached the subject with a reverence that made us all sit up and pay attention. I was at one of the … Continue reading How a Sermon on Hell Lifted my Soul
They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them. - Romans 2:15 The principal means which God uses in conversion, is that of conscience; and indeed without this, all the rest are in vain. Outward afflictions are … Continue reading The Conscience Will Not Always Sleep
How is it possible for any of us to live without a heart full of gratitude when everything short of hell is mercy? If we are not facing the the wrath of everlasting punishment at this moment, we are not getting what we deserve. That is true for every Christian and non-Christian alive right now. … Continue reading Everything Short of Hell is Mercy
Go, you fools, who make a mock at sin! Go and learn its malignity and demerit.
Disbelieve Hell, and you unscrew, unsettle, and unpin everything in the Scripture. Disbelieve Hell, and you may as well throw your Bible away at once! From "no Hell" to "no God" is but a series of steps!
Suppose a person were to go to a blacksmith and say to him, 'I want you to make me a long and heavy chain — I will pay you well for it.' The blacksmith, for the sake of the money, commences it; and after toiling hard for some time, finishes it. The person calls, and says on … Continue reading The Reward of Sin
The Fight of Faith 