Category: Christian Life
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In the Cross
In the Cross is salvation, in the Cross is life, in the Cross is protection from our enemies, in the Cross is infusion of heavenly sweetness, in the Cross is strength of mind, in the Cross is joy of spirit, in the Cross is the height of virtue, in the Cross is perfection of sanctity. There is no salvation of the soul,…
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11 Personal Heart Examination Points to Consider
It might be beneficial to periodically take some moments to consider if, to some degree, we are functionally forgetting the gospel. “Forgetting the gospel?” Yep. As absurd as such a thing may sound, it is a very common spiritual issue for all of us. Consider 2 Peter 1.3-9: His divine power has granted to us all things that…
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7 Signs of Living to Please God
“Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?” ~ Galatians 1:10 At this time of the year many of us see an opportunity for a new start. Whether you are one who makes New Years Resolutions or not, there seems to be a sense of “Do Over” that comes almost…
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Resolutions for the New Year
Each year, during the first week of January, I have made it my habit to review a series of personal resolutions written long, long ago – the Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards. While these are not necessarily my own resolutions, at least not the whole, they are worthy of reflection. In reading and re-reading this list…
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Seasons of Revival
No matter how many times I have seen them, my bemusement has never seemed to wane. I appreciate the zeal, yet marvel at the naivete’. Signs and banners adorning church doors and properties: “Revival Tonight!” “Revival This Week!” Don’t get me wrong, I long to experience revival – a genuine work of God, an outpouring…
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Famous and Forgotten
On the Plains of Shinar, according to Genesis 11, the people verbalized both their plan and the motivation driving it: “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves..” (v. 4) It was a quest for fame that compelled them…
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Grace & Peace: The Song
This song from Sovereign Grace Music, that shares the same title as this blog, is a three verse meditation on Romans 1.7: Verse 1 Grace and peace, oh how can this be / For lawbreakers and thieves / For the worthless, the least / You have said, that our judgment is death / For all eternity / Without hope, without…
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The Paradox of God’s Intentions
A paradox of the Christian faith worth pondering, from John Flavel: When God intends to fill a soul, he first makes it empty. When God intends to enrich a soul, he first makes it poor. When he intends to exalt a soul, he first makes it sensible to it’s own miseries, wants, and nothingness.
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REAL Christians Waltz
Listen to how Bob Flayhart, Senior Pator at Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, AL, describes a Gospel-centered Christian Life: A Gospel-centered life is the Christian Waltz. A waltz is a dance made up of three steps. Christians need to consider the Christian three step when it comes to growth. In the first step, we…
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Pursuing Prodigals
by Barry York Many Christian parents have had the sad experience of seeing a covenant child grow up and wander from the faith. To see one whom you joyfully brought into the world, baptized in the name of the Triune God, sacrificed in love to nurture and provide for, and trained to love Christ and His…
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Western Theology
There are two visions of life, two kinds of people. The first see life as a possession to be carefully guarded. They are called settlers. The second see life as a wild, fantastic, explosive gift. They are called pioneers. These two types give rise to two kinds of theology: Settler Theology and Pioneer Theology. According…
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Balance of Faith
A true, vibrant Christian faith is someting akin to a balancing act. In a post this morning, Tim Keller suggested: If we are going to grow in grace, we must stay aware of being both sinners and also loved children in Christ. Keller’s paradigm reminded me of something Edward Payson – “Praying Payson of Portland”…
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Qualities of Christian Community
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his classic book, Life Together, makes this observation that should be pondered by many in the church, especially those discontented with the relational dynamic in their particular congregation: “The people most in love with community are in danger of destroying community.” In other words, there are people who have made such an…
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10 Building Blocks for On-going Discipleship
by Stephen Smallman I went away with our elders for a time apart to re-examine our priorities as a church. The word “discipleship” started as one of many things on a “to do” list, and the more we talked and prayed, the more that word pushed its way to the top of the list. That…
