Category: Christian Life
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Why I Won’t Forgive Lance Armstrong
I have no inclination to forgive Lance Armstrong. I feel no need to. Armstrong, the infamous cyclist who has now been stripped of several Tour de France victories, an Olympic medal, and has had a host of other indignities hoisted upon his head, has finally confessed to doping in order to enhance his performance. And…
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The Difference That Makes All the Difference
Francis Schaeffer, of his own testimony, writes: “I became a Christian once for all upon the basis of the finished work of Christ through faith; that is justification. The Christian life, sanctification, operates on the same basis, but moment by moment. There is the same base (Christ’s work) and the same instrument (faith); the only…
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Paradoxes of Grace
In his excellent, perspective shaping book, Broken-Down House, Paul Tripp reflects some of the amazing paradoxes of the gospel. Take some time to ponder these; feel the tension. This is what genuine grace is and does: So grace is a story and grace is a gift. It is God’s character and it is your hope.…
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When God…
When God had mercy on us, when God revealed Jesus Christ to us as brother, when God won our hearts by God’s own love, our instruction in Christian love began at the same time. When God was merciful to us, we learned to be merciful with one another. When we received forgiveness instead of judgment,…
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Schaeffer’s Theorem
Francis Schaeffer was a prophetic voice to Christianity for the latter half of the 20th Century. His treatises such as Mark of the Christian and Two Contents, Two Realities were excellent primers for Gospel-Centered & Missional Christianity long before either Gospel-Centered or Missional were coined terms. The premise behind his philosophy has been has been…
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Tough Questions From a Pre-Teen Girl
The following are answers to questions asked by a then-12 year old girl. This young lady had had a very, very difficult life, but was very bright and determined. At the time she wrote the note to me asking these questions, she had only recently come to live with her father – a godly man. Now twenty-something, she has grown…
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I Asked the Lord to Grow in Grace
This song comes from a beautiful poem by John Newton. It is a powerful reminder to me about God’s grace and how God works. Like Newton in the opening lines of this poem, I often ask God to grow me in grace and faith and the fruits of his Spirit. I asked the Lord that I might…
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How to Spend a Day With God
Richard Baxter wrote: A holy life is inclined to be made easier when we know the usual sequence and method of our duties – with everything falling into its proper place. In other words, our souls flourish most vibrantly when there is a natural rythm to our lives. These rythms include our daily and weekly routines and…
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For Love of the Savior
“What ultimately keeps our motives biblically prioritized and holy before God is the profound conviction that obeying God will merit us nothing. This is why Jesus tells us that, when we have done all that we should do, we are still unprofitable servants. Jesus does not nullify the value of duty in order to dissuade…
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Advantages of Pleasing God More Than People
The following dozen points are about the advantages to us in seeking to please God, instead of living for the approval of other people. They were originally written by the great English Puritan, Richard Baxter. I have attempted to clean up the language a little, hopefully without dulling the wisdom: 1. If you seek first to please…
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Living & Loving to Please God
Steve Brown, professor at Reformed Theological Seminary and president of Key Life Network, penned a marvelous word picture of the motive and expression of a life gripped by God’s grace: When I became a Christian, two things happened. I got saved, and I got loved. I got loved so deeply that it still amazes me…
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A Basic Quiet Time Plan
OK. You sit down in a quiet place, Bible in hand – or at least on the table in front of you. You really mean it this time. You are going to begin having regular “Quiet Times”. But then the practical questions come to mind: How do I do this? What am I supposed to…
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Gospel: Where Rubber Meets Road
It is one thing to affirm the gospel; It is something altogether different to experience it’s power where the rubber meets the road. ~Tullian Tchividjian, from Jesus + Nothing = Everything
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Sabbath Rest: The Above All Commandment
Like many people, I get easily wearied by many of the Sabbath debates. What can you do? What can’t you do? While not unimportant, these questions miss the point. Jesus told us: “Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” (Mark 2.27) In other words, Sabbath is a gift made or established by…
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5 Suggestion for Receiving Criticism
Benjamin Franklin once mused: “Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain… and most fools do.” I don’t like receiving criticism and, since I am being honest here, I don’t often appreciate it either. I understand that it comes with the territory. I understand that when processed correctly criticism can prove beneficial to my character, competence,…
