Sometimes, our lives can get so messy that we wonder if God can redeem them. Reading through Genesis 30 and 31, we see how God’s plan proceeds even through jealousies, envy, and the strivings of our human nature. Sinfulness cannot thwart God’s plan. Though the sinner is guilty, the Lord continues in his grace to … Continue reading Messy lives, Merciful Savior
What is history? Is it a random accumulation of events, or does it have a specific meaning and direction? The biblical understanding is clear: history has a purpose and is moving toward the final climax in the return of Christ. Interestingly, many secular worldviews operate on the assumption that history has meaning and is progressing … Continue reading Nationalism, Law, and the Christian View of History
In the same way our bodies can get out of shape, our minds can also grow sluggish. Our ability to concentrate can grow weaker, the level of reading we can retain can diminish, and even our ability to think quickly and logically can begin to falter. The mind is like a muscle. The more you … Continue reading Love the Lord with All Your Mind
What is the weight of your soul? Though it cannot be measured by scientific means, it does have a weight of its own. The only way to measure it is to attempt to balance it on a scale against all the world deems significant. J.C. Philpot once explored this idea to our benefit. Below is … Continue reading The Weight of Your Soul
Why bother to pray? I have recently posted two articles about the power of prayer here on the blog, but I also had the opportunity to preach a sermon on the same topic this past Lord’s Day at Bethel Grace Baptist Church. Drawing from the teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, we … Continue reading The Power of Prayer [Sermon]
We often hear the phrase, “There is power in prayer,” but what does prayer have the power to do? Here are five things.
Lately, I have been studying Christian contentment and have even written a few posts here on the blog. I recently had the opportunity to preach on the topic at First Artesia CRC. My goal with this sermon is to challenge Christians to reevaluate their priorities and find true satisfaction in God alone. - CLICK TO READ MORE.
We often approach the Word of God as if we are above it—as if we are the judge to determine what is significant and what is not. We do this unconsciously when we give Scripture a surface-level reading and think we have given it the consideration it deserves. We regularly sit as judges over the … Continue reading An Encounter with the Word
Sometimes, to protect a passage of scripture from the abuses it receives from those who twist it, we add so many qualifications that we eliminate not only the false teaching but also the profound truth it communicates. We find one such passage in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus says, “Ask, and it will … Continue reading The Power of Prayer
Sin wants us to itself. We find this heart-stopping line in Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s classic work, Life Together. “Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and the more deeply he becomes involved in … Continue reading Sin Wants Us Isolated
The Fight of Faith 