Category: CHURCH & MINISTRY
Timid Timothy?
If a group of believers were asked to describe Timothy in one word, I’m confident that some (most?) would use a word like “timid.” They may be right, based upon Second Timothy 1:6-7, “For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which...
Three New Commands You Must Not Neglect
Christ instituted new laws. Can He do that? Yes, of course. He has every right to do so. After all, He has been “given all authority in heaven and on earth” (Mt. 28:18). At times Christ interpreted old commands in a fresh way. At other times...
The Symptoms and Treatment of Spiritual Cancer
Some who profess to be Christians will fall away from the faith. This is called “apostasy.” Christians disagree about what falling away means. Some say it is a saved person losing his salvation. Others insist that the person who falls away was never truly saved. I...
The Pronouns Preach: Lessons on the Glory of the Church
When reading the Bible, parts of speech make a big difference in our understanding. There are many examples, but here is one that demonstrates my point perfectly. It is found in Ephesians. I will be so bold as to say, “If you miss the pronouns, you miss...
The Last 45 Minutes
He was lying down, gasping. It was his own bed and it was his time. Forty-five minutes from this moment he would die. Beside him sat his wife in the overstuffed leather chair that had been pulled close for the final event. She had been there all...
The Knife on the Table: A Brockton Dialogue
James, always questioning: Mr. Brockton, how do Satan or his demons interplay with our lives? Is there such a thing? The wiser Mr. Brockton: The battle rages quite fiercely for believers in Christ who walk as they should. He opposes by distractions, obstructions, confusion and fear....
The Good a Bible Might Do
A daring nun once grabbed a small Bible out of a casket just before it was closed. This Bible had been gently placed by the side of her dead friend who had also been her priest. Why did this nun snatch the Bible at such a...
Sweetness of Speech: The Bible’s Winning Tactic for Verbal Disputes
We all have the unfortunate ability to be fully convinced of our own rightness and yet still be wrong. This reality should make humility our governing disposition when disagreeing with others. And yet, having a humble disposition doesn’t mean never taking a strong stand, never contending...
Slogging Now, Reward Later
In a recent blog post (at www.thegospelcoalition.org), Ray Ortlund honored his father by highlighting a 486 page book that recorded decades of his father’s ministry activities (such as sermons preached and weddings officiated). Ortlund asked, “How many hours of preparation and prayer and study are represented...
Running With Lemmings
Lemmings are small rodents that live in northern regions of the world. They look a lot like fat, furry hamsters. One variety of lemming, the Scandinavian lemming, has become a sort of zoological legend for doing something strange, even disturbing. Every three or four years, when...
