Mr. Christian’s neighbor had a new bumper sticker: Practice random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty. To Mr. Christian, random and senseless acts seemed, well, random and senseless, so he asked his neighbor what it meant. His answer was startling and disturbing. “Selfish acts of doing something to get something are not virtuous; […]
“Put on the full armor of God, that you may be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians
We are saved by grace through faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ—alone. Nothing can be added to Christ’s perfect work or to faith by which the salvation He accomplished becomes ours. Simple faith the size of a mustard seed unites to Christ, in whom the righteousness of His perfect obedience and payment
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God created, orders, sustains, and owns everything. Apart from God we have nothing, can do nothing, and can know nothing. He determines our existence, purpose, and destiny, without whom our every pursuit reduces to pointless absurdity. Therefore, we owe God all love, honor, and obedience—with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength—forever. Nothing, then, is
In the previous post we considered “no hope” as the words behind a broken spirit, the two words that carry such unbearable darkness that no one can withstand their power. We compared wishful thinking to the assurance of Christian hope, and saw that hope can be false, uncertain, or certain according to the ability and
Two Unbearable Words: The Nature of Christian Hope (Part 2 of 2) Read More »
Two small words. When heard on the battlefield, in the hospital waiting room, or in our darkest thoughts, they bring despair. Two words that carry such anguish that no one can withstand their power. What, then, are these two unbearable words? “No hope.” Proverbs 18:14 tells us, “The spirit of a man can endure his
Two Unbearable Words: The Nature of Christian Hope (Part 1 of 2) Read More »
Many popular preachers today teach that God always wants us healthy, wealthy, successful, and powerful in this life. Their message implies, and sometimes explicitly states, that we only lack these blessings because we lack faith. In other words, God intends none of these problems for His beloved children, while the blame for our earthly troubles,
“If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19 NAS).” Whose Favor? No one likes to be called an idiot, and certainly no one wants to be hated. And
Many, many moons ago, a company where I worked built a new multi-million-dollar facility in a large and popular business district. The wings of the new building wrapped around a beautiful courtyard with well-groomed flower beds, trees, benches, and a path that wound its way past an assortment of sculptures. Modern Sculpture The trees and
The birth of the universe set the stage for the history of the world in the drama of redemption, with God as its author, producer, and director. The carefully designed scenes reveal the genius, power, and goodness of their Maker, even as they reflect the curse provoked by the rebellion of their first inhabitants. And
Made Beautiful: The True Story of Royal and Loyal Love Read More »
