Humility, faith, repentance, heavenly-mindedness, and self-denial are the heart-quieting graces, and prayer is the heart-quieting duty. He that has not learned to pray, will not learn to be content. There must be a good striving with God in prayer, or there will be a striving against discontent.
I hope you are finally sick of it. If you find yourself in a period of spiritual stagnation, I pray you have had enough of its emptiness. It can happen subtlety over time. One day you are walking close to the Lord and a period of time later you find yourself devastated by his absence. … Continue reading The Years the Locust has Eaten
An awful thing has happened. I was traveling, when, during the night, some of the wicked men of Benjamin arose and came after me with the intent to kill me. They raped and killed my concubine, so I divided up her body parts and sent them to the rest of the people of God so … Continue reading The Christian Civil War
We live in a fallen world, and many people do not know what to do with their anger, hurt, sorrow, and grief. Much of it is churned into bitterness and spewed out on social media. Unfortunately, cultural Christianity has no place for biblical lament which is a proper response to such things. Even our funeral … Continue reading Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop [Book Review]
There is a danger of trying to do too much. Some clergymen have so many irons in the fire, that it is impossible to keep them all hot. A few things well done, are far better than twenty poorly done. The man whose work will stand the longest, is the man who, whatever people may say, however lazy they may call him determines that he will not do more than he can do well.
What an honor. You have been asked to preach. After the initial excitement wears off, you start to think, "What have I gotten myself into." How do I prepare to preach?
"Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens." -Lamentations 3:41 Prayer is the spiritual pulse of the renewed soul; its beat indicates the healthy or unhealthy state of the believer. Just as the physician would decide upon the health of the body from the action of the pulse, so … Continue reading The Spiritual Pulse of the Renewed Soul
Men are so ignorant of their own hearts that they are incapable of determining what is best for them. Even regenerate men are but partially sanctified and enlightened. But God searches the heart. He understands our whole case. He knows what is most for our good. He sees our strong corruptions and sad deficiencies. When, … Continue reading When God Disappoints
Sovereign Lord, what I most desired you have denied, yet I praise you! On what account, I know not, yet I praise you. You have done it; that silences me. Your will makes it indisputable, and renders it my indispensable duty to your wise determinations. Hitherto I have had no complaint on the conduct of … Continue reading 7 Lessons When Prayer Seems Unanswered
How would we know if we are spiritually immature when one of the symptoms of being earthly-minded is being blinded to our own condition? Much like losing your appetite can be a symptom of being malnourished. The following phrases from scripture could possibly wake us up, if we are, in fact, earthly-minded.
The Fight of Faith 