“God orders a series of events that detach us gradually from the world first, and finally from the self also. The operation is painful, but our corruption makes it needful. If the flesh were healthy, the surgeon would not need to probe it. He uses the knife only in proportion to the depth of the […]
In Arthur Brooks’ book, Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life, he provides a way of thinking about gratitude that I thought was incredibly helpful. The short, simple, profound, thought is: “Gratitude is very similar to exercise. We all know it’s good to be grateful and show […]
Situationupon situationupon situation,the ever-changing cycleof your story,has been authored by Another,one of infinite powerunparalleled wisdomunending grace,who has every epicevery turn of the plotevery surprising mysteryevery unnoticed momentwritten into his book. The Author is never surprisednever taken off guardnever confused by new developmentsnever feeling unpreparednever just making it throughnever looking for a way out. Situationupon situationupon […]
In 1746, Jonathan Edwards wrote A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections. He wrote it in the midst of the First Great Awakening, attempting to explain the nature of true Christian conversion. At the beginning of the book, Edwards provides three benefits that trials bring to “true religion.” They are below:
In The Air We Breathe: How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality, Glen Scrivener contends that concepts like equality, compassion, consent, enlightenment, science, freedom, and progress aren’t self-evident. Instead, they are the fruit of Christianity. I’ve just started making my way through this fascinating, engaging, and biblical book. But early […]
Eugene Peterson is concerned about the state of pastoral ministry. In Working the Angles: The Shape of Pastoral Integrity, Peterson warns his readers about pastors who “are abandoning their posts, their calling. . . . What they do with their time under the guise of pastoral ministry hasn’t the remotest connection with what the church’s […]
Richard Lovelace’s Dynamics of Spiritual Life: An Evangelical Theology of Renewal explores “the nature of revival and what it means for the church.” Lovelace takes his readers through the Jesus Movement, Jonathan Edwards, and a wide range of historical figures and movements. It’s a fascinating read. At the heart of his book, Lovelace provides the […]
Yesterday, Tim Keller went to be with the Lord. It’s hard to overstate the impact Keller has had on Christians over the past couple of decades. He’s certainly been used by God in my life. Matt Smethurst posted 50 of his favorite Keller quotes. I was encouraged by them. Perhaps God will use them to […]
Major wars are fought on multiple fronts. The same is true with the spiritual war that every Christian finds themselves in. One of the major fronts of our spiritual war involves music. That’s why the Apostle Paul commanded the Colossians to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in […]