Obadiah speaks not only of judgment on Edom but also of the “day of the Lord” (Obad. 15), which will bring judgment on all nations (Obad. 16) and deliverance for God’s people (Obad. 17). At first glance, it sounds as if these will take place at the same time. However, the biblical prophets regularly collapse together... Continue Reading

Job has just found out in repeated hammer blows of bad news that all of his wealth is gone and his family is no more. He tore his robe and shaved his head in grief. However, did he curse or blame God? He recognized that God allowed it to happen and that God is sovereign... Continue Reading

A church that is real will not be too quick to judge but will rather be honest enough to recognise that each member sins, each member has their own struggles and each member – if they nevertheless love Jesus and want to obey his commands – is saved by grace and fully accepted by him.... Continue Reading

We think God won’t mind a few sins here and there. The problem with this thinking is that we don’t get it. We don’t get how holy God is, and we don’t get how sinful we are. Isaiah understood it when he saw a vision of the Lord in his glory. He cried out, And... Continue Reading

Our culture calls many things “hate speech”, but Scripture clearly defines it as any speech which denigrates people’s nature as God’s image-bearers and any speech—or silence—that promotes sinful and destructive behavior.  In order to love our neighbors as ourselves, we must pray for them, acknowledge their personhood, and lovingly seek their good by confronting sin... Continue Reading

When Jesus says, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone,” he is really saying that he is indeed good, and therefore he is God. The rich young ruler, merely intending to be respectful, was speaking more truly than he knew. His standard of goodness was woefully insufficient, as proved by his assessment... Continue Reading

God is in control and he is working all things for my good. Whatever comes my way, whether success or failure, victory or defeat, celebration or mourning, all have passed through the hands of my Father who loves me. Everything in my life is being used by God to sanctify me and bring me closer... Continue Reading

To combat fear, we must trust and confide in God’s character and promises. Scripture is replete with God’s promises to be with us, provide for us, protect us, comfort us, care for us, resource us, redeem us, sanctify us, and bring us into eternal glory. Hoping in God means knowing His promises and relying on... Continue Reading

Does having a higher degree guarantee, in and of itself, that a person will perform better in ministry than one with a basic required degree? Does a pastor with a Ph.D. give more of himself or is more productive in ministry than one with a M.Div.? Does he have greater influence on the spiritual outcomes... Continue Reading

Rather than loving Jesus so much that we hear his call and gladly do it, finding our contentment in Christ and pressing on for his glory because it is what we most want to do, we focus on ourselves, our felt needs and end up shying away from what Jesus asks because it doesn’t “meet... Continue Reading