The Psalms are uncomfortably honest about us. We are not basically good people who occasionally make bad choices. Sin runs deeper than that. We are born with hearts bent away from God. We justify ourselves. We minimize our sin. Sometimes we even convince ourselves that God doesn’t see what we’d rather keep hidden. Psalm 14 … Continue reading When God’s Holiness Meets Our Sin
faithfulness
The Paths of the Lord
“All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth, to those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.”— Psalm 25:10 Every path leads somewhere. Some lead to dead ends. Some wind through wilderness. Some descend before they rise. But David, who had walked every kind of path — from the shepherd’s field to the … Continue reading The Paths of the Lord
Facing the Temptations to Shrug and Scheme
Jacob and Esau. Two brothers who demonstrate two responses to the promises of God. Esau despised his birthright. He traded eternity for a bowl of stew. He lived for what he could taste, touch, and feel in the moment. Spiritual things felt distant. Immediate comfort felt urgent. Hendrick ter Brugghen’s Esau Selling His Birthright (c. … Continue reading Facing the Temptations to Shrug and Scheme
The Power of the Word of God in a Young Pastor’s Life
J.I. Packer, as a young pastor, found himself “marginalized, isolated and required to work on unfulfilling and flawed agendas, in a manner that made him think of the Israelites having to make bricks for Pharaoh.” He claims to have lived “like Moses in Midian, with frustration in [his] heart, wondering what God could possibly be … Continue reading The Power of the Word of God in a Young Pastor’s Life
Grace to Fulfill Our Parental Calling #4
Parents worthy of honor pass on to their children a legacy of the faithfulness of God in their family’s life and pilgrimage. Example of Joshua and his memorial stones. Joshua 4:7 declares God’s intent in having Joshua make this memorial: “So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.” We must … Continue reading Grace to Fulfill Our Parental Calling #4
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