Why Are We Saved By Faith?
A question occurred to me: why are we saved by faith and why do we walk by faith? Why is faith the prerequisite to becoming God’s children? Why couldn’t God be pleased with people who simply obey him out of duty and not out of trust?
Is The Lord Your Delight?
It strikes me that delighting in the Lord (and therefore in His Word) is the primary characteristic of the blessed person described in Psalm 1…According to the psalmist, the opposite of walking in unrighteousness is delighting in the Lord…
Christ, Our Living Hope in Suffering
How often do you think about the second coming of Jesus? Daily? Sometimes? Barely? The return of Jesus is one of the most important and recurring teachings of the New Testament. The inspired authors repeatedly encourage believers to long for it, to wait expectantly for it, to get ready for it, to live in the light of it, and to hope in it.. According to the apostle Peter, the key to enduring suffering is to set our hope completely on the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ …
Guess What? There is a Good Kind of People-Pleasing
We have all heard of the sin of people-pleasing and many of us struggle with it to various degrees. However, did you know that there is godly people-pleasing? The same Bible that says: ‘If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.’ (Galatians 1:10, ESV) also says: ‘Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.’ (Romans 15:2, ESV). So, which is it? It is both. There is good and bad people-pleasing…
How to Guard Your Heart
If you have been a Christian any length of time, you probably heard the phrase ‘guard your heart’. Why is it so important? How do we do that? It is not primarily about protecting yourself from other people, so they won’t hurt you …
Excellent Food for Thought
Philippians 4:8 reminds me that, in Christ, there is a way to let my mind be free and enjoy the gift of thinking, imagining, and pondering that honors God…
Soul Rest for the Weary
In calling ‘all who labor and are heavy-laden’ in Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus is referring to all who pointlessly strive to earn righteousness on their own. It is easy to identify how unbelievers do this but does this striving really cease once we are saved? As Christians, there are many ways in which we labor and strive to prove ourselves to God and others. This is the source of much of our weariness….
3 Truths You Must Remember About God
Last week I wrote about three common lies that Christians can believe about God. Here are three truths with which we can extinguish these flaming darts.
Truth #1: He Who Did Not Spare His Own Son
Truth #2: There Is No Condemnation For Those Who Are In Christ Jesus
Truth #3: In Christ, There is Full and Ultimate Satisfaction …
3 Lies You (Probably) Believe About God
In examining my own heart and in speaking with other Christians, I noticed 3 major lies that many of us implicitly or explicitly believe about God. Often, we know that they are lies but in the face of suffering, uncertainty, or unfilled desires, we take the bait …
The Beauty of Weakness
Lately, the Lord has been teaching me the self-control of letting him take control. It is the spiritual exercise he has me do day after day, hour after hour, thought after thought…