Category: Spiritual Formation
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5 Life Changing Gospel Perspectives
There are 5 perspectives from the gospel that, when embraced and frequently pondered, shape lives: The need to recognize that God calls for ongoing and continual growth and change in all of us. The need to understand the extent and gravity of our sin. The need to understand that the heart is central; that behavior…
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Our Part in Practicing the Presence of God
Here is a thought worthy to ponder, and a discipline worthy to practice, excerpted from Dallas Willard‘s The Great Omission: Our part in practicing the presence of God is to direct and redirect our minds constantly to him. In the early times of our practicing, we may well be challenged by our burdensome habits of…
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Idolotry pt 2 – C.J. Mahaney
As a follow up to some recent posts, one in particular, Disinfecting Ourselves of Spiritual Malware, I thought this video by C.J. Mahaney would be helpful and challenging. This is part 2 of 2.
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Idolotry pt 1 – C.J. Mahaney
As a follow up to some recent posts, one in particular, Disinfecting Ourselves of Spiritual Malware, I thought this video by C.J. Mahaney would be helpful and challenging. This is part 1 of 2.
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Revised Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards
As a young man – a teenager, really – Jonathan Edwards set down on paper a series of thoughts and practices to help cultivate growth in grace. (See 2 Peter 3.18) Edwards then re-read this list at least once a week to keep his mind focused and renewed. The result: A man of humble godliness,…
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Deeper Into the Gospel
Reflecting on Colossians 1.6, Tullian Tchividjian, in his book Jesus + Nothing = Everything, offers this poignant perspective about the present practicality of the gospel: The gospel represents both the nature of Christian growth and the basis for it. Whatever progress we make in our Christian lives – whatever going onward, whatever pressing forward –…
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Disinfecting Ourselves of Spiritual Malware
In his masterful work, Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin observed: “Man’s nature, so to speak, is a perpetual factory of idols.” That may seem to be a peculiar notion. Some will, no doubt, simply chalk it up to “O, that Calvin guy had a lot of strange ideas”. Some, being a bit more…
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The Advent of Humility
The following article, by Tim Keller, first appeared in the December 2008 edition of Christianity Today Magazine. In this article Keller explains why the Advent of Jesus gives us reason to stop concentrating on ourselves. *** Innumerable Christmas devotionals point out the humble circumstances of Jesus’ birth—among shepherds, in a crude stable, with a feed…
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Portrait of a Recovering Pharisee
by Nancy Scott When Sally first heard the gospel at age eleven, she understood immediately that God’s grace is what saves us. She already knew her heart was full of evil and that she had nothing to bring to God. It made perfect sense that God would have to do the saving, if any saving…
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The Old Man and the Flesh
by Robin Boisvert What actually changes when one becomes a Christian? Confusion about this is common, especially when we realize that we continue to struggle with sin and temptation even after conversion. Paul tells us in Galatians that we have a war that goes on within us after conversion: “For the desires of the flesh…
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Appropriating the Justifying Work of Christ
Only a fraction of the present body of professing Christians are solidly appropriating the justifying work of Christ in their lives. Many have so light an apprehension of God’s holiness and of the extent and guilt of their sin, that consciously they see little need for justification. Below the surface, however, they are deeply guilt-ridden…
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You Can Change
I started reading You Can Change by Tim Chester of The Crowded House. It is different from most books about transformation and personal growth because Chester roots everything in the dual truths of the Christian’s new identities and the power of the gospel. This video is Tim’s introduction and explanation of the book. Here is what a couple…
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Be Gentle With Me
I think it was Mark Galli who wrote: The prophets of the Old Testament were concerned about one thing… and it was not people’s feelings. I am encouraged by that insight. Despite their directness and sometimes crassness, there can be no doubt they were called by God, and used by God for the advancement of…
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Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
In the Preface to Joe Thorn‘s book, Note to Self, Sam Storms penned a paragraph that strikes at the heart of the difference between those with a vital Chrisian faith, and those who show little if any hint of actually being a follower of Jesus Christ. Here is what Storms says about the functional place…
