The account of Jonah was the story of Israel writ large. We’re rightly bothered by one of the Israel’s prophets who didn’t care about the perishing Gentiles and who failed to be light to them. The problem with Jonah, however, was the tip of the iceberg. Jonah’s problem was Israel’s problem. And judgment was coming—to... Continue Reading

We need to be aware of what the main things and the plain things are so that we can set theological alarms in our hearts and minds. Because these false teachers creep into our churches, our ministries, and our Christian schools, we need pay attention and measure everything we hear by the standard of God’s... Continue Reading

You see that’s how Jesus, the Lamb of God takes away sin; not by pushing it aside or sweeping it under the rug, but by picking it up and carrying it, as if it were his very own, all the way up to the cross. Isaiah saw that day so clearly: “All we like sheep... Continue Reading

We should consider the humbling truth that we are not invincible. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. A house of mourning will one day convene because of our death. Facing the truth of our mortality can have a sobering effect. Earthly life really ends, and earthly life really matters.   Because the Bible is filled with... Continue Reading

The shield of faith is a bit unique in Paul’s list because he not only mentions the shield; he mentions specifically what to do with it: “In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Eph. 6:16).” We can expect... Continue Reading

With Jesus Christ, you are never without an intercessor that can overcome all your enemies, comfort all your wounds, advocate for all your needs, and sustain even the greatest of doubts and the weakest moments of faith. You are covered in his grace from this day until the very last. You may feel weak and... Continue Reading

Think about how your child needs prayer. Narrow it down to one idea. Then write your child’s name and theme in the back of your Bible. For example: Ryan | laziness | “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty” (Prov. 14:23). By writing this in your Bible, you’ll always... Continue Reading

When we close our eyes in death, we do not cease to be alive; rather, we experience a continuation of personal consciousness. No person is more conscious, more aware, and more alert than when he passes through the veil from this world into the next.    The guns of secular naturalism, when aimed at the... Continue Reading

This little story makes a wreck of my theological assumptions. Now, don’t get me wrong. They aren’t entirely wrong. Jesus’ having sought her out is significant. It shows us that He’s more concerned with relationship than a transactional healing. He’s not a distant and detached Savior. As James Edwards as said, “Discipleship is not simply getting our... Continue Reading

Sometimes seeking the Lord and fighting the good fight takes time. We are commanded to “grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord” (2 Peter 3:18), not spontaneously transform. Jesus tells parables to teach us to “pray always and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1). Paul instructs us to keep sowing that good seed and not... Continue Reading