The Word doesn’t work without the Spirit. No instrument, no tool, no hammer, no axe can build a house without the mason and carpenter moving them. But it doesn’t follow that they are not instruments at all! All that follows is, “God does not work faith by the preached Word alone, but by the omnipotency... Continue Reading

“Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.”– Romans 12:11. And yet it would be hard to fault a people for their lack of zeal if those who led them were lacking too. Which is probably why Paul explicitly tells leaders, ‘the one who leads, with zeal’. No escaping it, no skipping... Continue Reading

Be faithful, even when you don’t see the fruit. Keep going back to God and trusting His promises. It is not a fool’s errand to run at his command. Because really, it all hinges on his faithfulness. You can count on it: there will be fruit after His faithfulness.   I look at my son,... Continue Reading

Remember that the grieving and dying are facing many terrors, so offer comfort to the saved, and evangelize the unsaved. What joy we feel as pastors when we see the grieving saved and growing in the grace and knowledge of Christ under our shepherding!    Every morning for several months, my wife and I walked... Continue Reading

The Carmen Christi is packed with theological significance, and is beautiful in its form. It was likely sung in the early churches and we ought do the same. It is cited by Paul to remind us of Jesus’ attitude toward others. Jesus counted all his advantages as nothing and made himself a servant. While we... Continue Reading

God’s Word is given to mankind to know His will for our conduct and for our salvation; it is altogether clear and sufficient for Christian faith and practice. Through history, poetry, prophecy, and didactic instruction, God speaks to us in His Word in an intelligible manner. That is, God uses language to reveal to us... Continue Reading

When God’s good design for men and women is so under attack in our day, why would anyone who embraces that design deliberately add to the confusion by using such a loaded term for female ministry personnel?    Our church is complementarian, which means that we value and embrace the God-given differences between men and... Continue Reading

Piper talks about the measure of the greatness of a man (or woman), and we know from the Bible that true greatness is marked by humility, for “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12).   While all of us ought to see evidence of marked growth in... Continue Reading

Our world is full of competing voices. It is a cacophony of opinions, most of them false, all jostling to be given attention and credibility in the ever-shifting arena of public opinion. But there is one Voice that transcends them all. There is one Voice that rises above the rest and has the power to... Continue Reading

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. Despite the hardships we may endure, there is always hope in God. If you are His child, He cares for you, and His grace is sufficient. As you face any diagnosis or personal challenge, remember that God did not make a mistake when He knit you together, body and... Continue Reading