"Watch your life and doctrine closely"
From the blog this week: What Does Scripture Teach About Joy? Grace: The Dominant Note of Christmas “So the eternal Word of God took on human flesh, and in that way the divine Son of God—who never had an origin, and never came into being, and was God, but was also with God— became man….
Yesterday at church I preached about joy in our advent series. We spent most of the time trying to come to an understanding of biblical joy and our need to fight for it daily. As we daily fight for joy, we must be equipped with the truth of God’s Word and know what it says….
From the blog this week: 9 Favorite Reads of 2019 Don’t Mistake Experience for Growth “It’s a sad truth that many churches are full of people who have professed saving faith in Christ, attended and served faithfully for twenty to thirty-plus years, taught Sunday school, and read their Bibles, but have not been transformed at…
We seem to enjoy lists, especially at the end of the year. Looking at “best of the year” kind of lists seems to stir up a bit of nostalgia in us for a year that is about to end. Perhaps there’s something in us that longs for a happy ending and these lists give us…
From the blog this week: Devotional Recommendations for 2020 The 2020 Reading Challenge “Do you love to read? Do you want to learn to love to read? Do you enjoy reading books that cross the whole spectrum of topics and genres? Then I’ve got something that may be right up your alley—the 2020 Christian Reading Challenge.”…
It’s hard to believe that 2019 is quickly drawing to a close. In preparation for the new year, some have asked for recommendations for devotionals. Here are a few recommendations: New Morning Mercies– Paul David Tripp “Mornings can be tough. Sometimes, a hearty breakfast and strong cup of coffee just aren’t enough. Offering more than…
From the blog this week: The Sacrifice A Visual Theology Advent Reading Calendar For Your Family This might be a helpful resources for your family this season! Never Be Wise in Your Own Eyes “So, we need God to give us a spirit of true wisdom, to teach us how to crucify our pride. Along…
If you haven’t checked out the poetry of George Herbert, I recommend it. Jim Scott Orrick provides 52 of Herbert’s best-loved poems, along with a guide to help interpret. One of my personal favorites is a narrative poem from the perspective of Christ, “The Sacrifice.” It’s long but good. Check it out: The Sacrifice Oh…
From the blog this week: Thanking God for Adoption Day Run Your Race–Not Someone Else’s “This conceit manifests itself in our tendency to compare ourselves to others and to measure our worth or performance against theirs. If we’re feeling pretty good about ourselves, we feel superior and proud. But if we’re feeling down about ourselves,…
To celebrate, we told our kids they could pick any restaurant they wanted for lunch. They unanimously agreed upon McDonald’s and our best efforts to convince them otherwise failed miserably. After ordering our food, our 5-year-old volunteered to pray. He began, “Thank you, God, for my adoption day.” That morning, after months of planning and…