Rejoice Always! Really?? Yes. And Here’s Why
To rejoice means to be glad for God’s grace
We rejoice in THE LORD because he is in control of all circumstances all the time. We rejoice in THE LORD because he is good and loving – he only does what is loving for us, tho we don’t always understand how. Because he is infinitely wise – he always does what is most wise... Continue Reading
Jesus knows! Yes He really does know!
Come to Him, cry to Him, pray to Him, but above all trust Him, and when you obtain mercy, rejoice to go away in peace, for this gift of faith has made you whole in Christ!
Nobody else may know of your inner conversations, or of your sense of desperation when you have nowhere else to turn; but Jesus knows, He really fully knows, and your Savior takes great delight in seeing you think, watching you act, putting out a trembling hand, to lay hold of Him, the mighty glorious Christ,... Continue Reading
Theft, Envy, And Private Property
Socialism is institutionalized envy.
In the 20th century alone, class envy led to the slaughter of millions of people. Today, American school children are catechized in class envy in their textbooks and few parents seem to care. Christians are influenced by the ethos of the French Revolution. I was. In university, I was taught by some of my professors... Continue Reading
Prayer: A Simple Method
Luther also gives the sort of advice that you don’t hear very often today.
Peter Beskendorf, Martin Luther’s barber asked him for help with prayer. In response, Luther wrote a brief book titled A Simple Way to Pray. It’s a little gem. And it is exactly what you would expect from the pen of Luther, nothing more and nothing less. For example, in Luther’s pithy way he warns us not... Continue Reading
Boaz is a Hero for Our Time
There is no getting around the fact that powerful men still abuse less powerful women.
It would be far more accurate to say that powerful people abuse less powerful people, because we see males abused by males, males abused by females, and females abused by females. While the greater number of complaints fit the standard powerful male/less powerful female model, I do not wish to minimize anyone’s suffering by pretending that it doesn’t... Continue Reading
Recovering the Cure of Souls
Something that has come alongside the gospel recovery movement is not just a recovery of theology, expositional preaching, missional church planting, and the like but also a recovery of the active and intentional shepherding of the people of God.
A lot of us still remember the winning of souls, and we employ that concept in a variety of ways, from end-of-service invitations to door-to-door evangelism or gospel sharing in backyards and coffee shops and airplane seats. But the curing of souls has fallen on hard times. You get the impression from some church promotional... Continue Reading
And the Word became Flesh…
The Word of God became, irreversibly, forevermore, without mixture or confusion, through mysterious and miraculous conception, fully enfleshed God-Man
In that same human nature, now immortalized, He has risen from the dead, and ascended to God’s right hand – Here, in the presence of God, He received His Mediatorial Glory which He ever owned as God but now possesses forever as God-Man. Jesus the Glorified Word-made-Flesh …is now exalted Mediator …is now Lord of... Continue Reading
The Lessons of Christmas: Incarnation, Not Enlightenment
The drama of Christmas addresses the root of our greatest problem, answers our greatest need, and presents the greatest news imaginable.
Christmas marks the launching of God’s kingdom and of God’s redemptive deathblow against the powers of sin, sickness, suffering, and Satan. During this time of year, we–like the shepherds of Luke’s Gospel–reflect on the glorious announcement of the arrival of Jesus Christ as king and redeemer. God has come in person. This gospel was the... Continue Reading
The Origins of a Great Christmas Hymn
One of my favorite hymns of the Advent and Christmas season is O Come, O Come, Emmanuel because of its rich use of biblical imagery to recount the prophetic references to the coming Christ.
The beauty of this hymn is the careful, systematic, and concise presentation of the prophetic witness to the coming of Christ and the expectation of what He will bring. As the Word Incarnate, He will fulfill the Law of God, bring justice and righteousness, deliver the people, reign as King, bring light to the darkness,... Continue Reading
A Greater King
When the mediator isn’t a sinner, he can be offered to God as the perfect substitute for sin and the sword of God can be sheathed forever.
When we believe on his name and trust in him alone, the life that he provides is given to us. He who believes on him shall never die. The sword is put away forever in Christ, and there is now no condemnation. His resurrection is a sure pledge of OUR resurrection, because his sacrifice was... Continue Reading