One of the great encouragements of Scripture is that believers are said to be “in Christ.” Not only have we been forgiven and redeemed, but we have also been united with Christ. While this is great news, this doctrine can often be mysterious. The better we understand...
Scripture provides vivid warnings of judgment and eternal hell for those who don’t repent and believe in Christ. Such warnings occur throughout the Bible and in Jesus’ earthly teaching. In Revelation 14, those who reject Christ and instead worship the beast “will be...
Still half-asleep, I stumble to the kitchen to turn on the Keurig. I hear the boys’ bedroom door open, followed by a miniature stampede of pattering feet running in my direction. The two youngest stop and look at me, but I’m not prepared for anything but coffee....
Should We Pursue Unity At All Costs? In John 17, Jesus prays, “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the...
How Can I Know God’s Will? All throughout our lives, we are faced with decisions, and, as believers, we have a desire to make these decisions according to God's Word. However, how do we know? It’s not always easy to know exactly what God wants us to do. A new...
Disappointment in Things That Are Seen My heart pounded and felt like it was pumping acid through my veins. My legs screamed for me to stop, but I couldn’t. There was still another mile to go in the 5k, and I knew I had to finish strong. I had my goal pace in mind and...
I hoisted the ax over my head while fixing my eyes on the precise spot on the log I intended to hit. My right hand slid down the handle as gravity pulled the ax head downward. There was a loud ‘crack,’ then the log split evenly down the middle with each side falling...
Narcissism isn’t a new issue, but I’m often overwhelmed by how prevalent it is. It seems to be tolerated, perhaps at times celebrated, even among self-proclaimed Christians. Pragmatism rules the day so that if someone “gets the job done,” then we’ll turn a blind eye...
As I walked down the aisle trying to find the next item on my grocery list, I saw a familiar face. He recognized me at the exact same moment and we both smiled and walked toward one another with excitement. As I approached, I instinctively started to put out my right...
The second volume of “Great Doctrines of the Bible” by Martyn Lloyd-Jones (MLJ) focuses on the person and work of the Holy Spirit. We examined the person and the deity of the Holy Spirit in the first two chapters, now we’ll begin looking at the work of the Spirit in...
Today we’ll continue our study of “Great Doctrines of the Bible” by Martyn Lloyd-Jones (MLJ) by looking at chapter 2 (vol. II), “The Deity of the Holy Spirit.” In the previous chapter, MLJ argued for the personality of the Holy Spirit. Next, he will demonstrate the...
There is great confusion today regarding the person of the Holy Spirit. Things done under the guise of the Spirit are oftentimes mere sensationalism and emotional manipulation. On the other hand, there is often such a reaction to these extremes that many believers end...
“Why am I doing this?” It’s a question I often ask myself mid-run. I was on mile eight and had about four more to go. My legs were already tight, and the hill before me loomed large. As I made my way uphill, my thighs screamed for more oxygen, causing my heart to beat...
Lurking in the shadow of every good gift from God is a twisted perversion that seeks to imitate and destroy. These destructive copycats disguise themselves as good but are actually out to cause chaos and confusion. God creates healthy friendships as a gift, but sin...
We all love to hear about a good miracle. We love to read the Gospels and see all the times Jesus healed the blind man, caused the lame to walk, or raised the dead little girl back to life. It’s exciting to see God work in such a way, and we pray for Him to continue...