One benefit of reading Joshua is to be encouraged by a rather unusual bright spot in biblical history of faithfulness to Yahweh. There are not many places in Scripture where an entire generation’s faithfulness is recorded, but we have such a recording in Joshua.    Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do... Continue Reading

The Puritans wrote dozens of treatises about family life, describing the proper roles and relationships between husbands and wives, fathers, mothers, and children.9 They placed every family relationship in the light of God’s sovereignty and fatherhood, and called every family member to live in the faith and fear of the Lord. Part of their genius was... Continue Reading

These events were the action of God, “to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham” (Luke 172, 73). We remember Jesus Christ, because God remembers his covenant. In remembering, we confess with the mouth and believe in the heart the Person and the pre-ordained events by which we are... Continue Reading

When we feel weak and frustrated by how limited we are, we can turn to him and find rest, knowing he has taken care of all we need for salvation in the gospel. We don’t need to work without ceasing to prove our worth to our Father because Christ has already accomplished all we need... Continue Reading

Because we belong to the Lord Jesus and are made to be like him, we cannot find our true identity by looking inside ourselves. The Lord’s Supper subverts the notion that identity is an individualistic enterprise because in this meal we participate with Christ. “The cup of blessing that we bless,” Paul writes, “is it... Continue Reading

Some examples of the way that the self-discipline of choosing the right perspective empowers godly character. Forgiveness: refusing to demand that another person treat me perfectly when God has forgiven a thousand times more imperfections in me. Humility: recognizing that God and others are actually the ones responsible for the achievements in my life. Contentment:... Continue Reading

The pastor-elders should embody and exemplify normal, healthy Christian maturity, and be among the most patient souls in the church, and also the least resigned. They should be resolute about not being lazy or apathetic, and be assured of Christ’s commitment to build and bless his church. We learn to roll our anxieties onto the... Continue Reading

The vast majority of churches need members willing to serve in ways that will be costly because of the time they take and the type of work they involve. They need members who will willing take up the tasks that do elicit feelings of concern, because those churches won’t be able to function without them.... Continue Reading

Preachers are not puppets on a stage; nor are they blocks of wood. They are men of God who are to zealously preach the word in season and out, fanning into flame the gift of God which is in them, bringing God’s word to bear over the people called by his own name. There’s nothing boring... Continue Reading

It is the disposition of the heart which defines and decides what has dominion — the heart may be really rotten and false, and the true harbour of a sin, though the person manages to perform some visible duties of piety. There must be more than external performances in duty to show that sin does... Continue Reading