Believer, stop here, and think awhile. Is it a small thing in your eyes to be beloved of God; to be the son, the spouse, the love, and the delight of the King of glory? Christian, believe this, and think on it. You shall be eternally embraced in the arms of that love which was … Continue reading You are Beloved of the Lord
Devotional Thoughts
The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy
"She brought forth... she wrapped Him in swaddling clothes" (Luke 2:7). It is indeed very beautiful, but oh the pity of it, the tragedy of it, the loneliness of it, that in that hour of all hours, when womanhood should be surrounded by the tenderest care, she is alone. G. Campbell Morgan Let us marvel … Continue reading The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy
A Treasured Prayer from My Grandfather-in-Law
Years ago, my grandfather-in-law, Pete Austin, gave me this prayer/poem from Henry van Dyke that he cherished and memorized. I came across it today in my studies. It encouraged and challenged my heart again and I hope it will do the same for you: "These are the gifts I ask Of thee, Spirit serene: Strength … Continue reading A Treasured Prayer from My Grandfather-in-Law
The Antidote for Anxious, Fearful Hearts
In corporate worship, we invest time in prayer. We do this because God commands us to seek Him in prayer. Prayer also serves as one of the main ways that we exercise our faith in His promises as well as an antidote for our anxious hearts (Luke 18:1; Philippians 4:6-7). Prayer is hard work and … Continue reading The Antidote for Anxious, Fearful Hearts
The Fundamental Reason of a Ruinous Revolution & the Need for Prayer
When he received the Templeton Prize in Religion in 1981, Alexandr Solzhenitsyn explained concisely the demise of Russia and the extermination of 60 million of her citizens: “Over half a century ago, while I was still a child, I recall hearing a number of older people offer the following explanation for the great disasters that … Continue reading The Fundamental Reason of a Ruinous Revolution & the Need for Prayer
Treasuring the Temporal or the Eternal – Luke 16:19-31
Here are three practical implications from the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. A. DANGER: Treasuring the temporal blinds us to the eternal. Money and wealth blind us. We see this danger of wealth in the life of the rich man. He was not sent to hell because of his wealth, he was sent to … Continue reading Treasuring the Temporal or the Eternal – Luke 16:19-31
Hungry Hearts
Like Bruce Springsteen said, all of us have hungry hearts. We have a hunger to experience the transcendent. We have a hunger to love and be loved. We have a hunger for purpose and meaning in life. Left to ourselves, we generally look to satisfy our hungry hearts with the treasures and pleasures of this … Continue reading Hungry Hearts
Prayer of Preparation for Reformation Sunday
Prayer to prepare your heart based on Psalm 46: Lord God, our refuge and strength, when the restless powers of this world and the waters of hell rise up against your holy city, watch over it and keep it safe. By the river that flows from the throne of the Lamb, purify us, your new … Continue reading Prayer of Preparation for Reformation Sunday
Proclaiming the Gospel to Ourselves in Corporate Worship
One of our main purposes of gathering corporately for worship is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. We aspire to do this throughout our whole worship service by cultivating in all who gather three things: A dawning realization of the greatness of your God, A growing awareness of your own sinfulness But also a … Continue reading Proclaiming the Gospel to Ourselves in Corporate Worship
The Major Markers of Spiritual Progress
Have you ever wondered what does it really look like to make spiritual progress in your journey? What kind of Christians does the Holy Spirit want to develop? Christians whose lives display the following seven features: Doxology, the habit taught and modeled by Paul of constantly praising God and giving him thanks; Humility, the downward … Continue reading The Major Markers of Spiritual Progress
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