“We must not trifle with God. God is not restricted in what He is able to do. Nothing outside His own good purposes, His own nature and character, restricts Him in any way. ‘Indeed these are the mere edges of His ways, and how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the thunder of …
Milestone Screwups
One of the things that Ausgustine did later in his life was to publish his Retractions, a book in which he went back and corrected earlier errors in his teaching. No getting the wrong idea here. As as a neighborhood toddler I am not worthy to come over and play in Augustine’s backyard . . …
I Know How You Feel
A certain black man was visiting a strange city on business, and he had to be gone over the weekend. He was a believer and hated to miss worship at home, and his business was all at the convention center where he was staying, and he did not have a rental car. So he thought …
Fussy With the Food
God delights to feed His saints, and yet His family, like all families, contains children who are fussy about their food. One of the perennial problems that parents have is that is getting children to eat what is set before them, gratefully and simply. It can be discouraging for parents when children won’t eat, or …
Your Law Is Honey
Minister: Lift up your hearts! Congregation: We lift them up to the Lord! My mediation is Your law! I love to contemplate All day the law You gave to us. Through Your commands You made me wise, More than my enemies can know. More than my teachers I have learned, Your laws instruct my heart. …
Art Need Not Be About Ego
“We do not know who designed the dazzling stained glass windows at Chartres, nor do we know who illuminated the Book of Kells or who wrote ‘Sir Gawaine and the Green Knight’” [Gene Veith, State of the Arts (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1991), p. 32]
Almost Forgot
“The same is true when we encounter figures that relate to God’s knowledge — for example, those figures which represent God as repenting or relenting (Gen. 6:6; Exod. 32:12, 14), remembering (Gen. 9:15-16; Exod. 6:5), or forgetting (Ps. 9:18; Ps. 13:1; Jer. 23:39). ‘The God remembered Noah’ (Gen. 8:1). Does God smack His forehead in …
You Dear Little Fathead
Jesus delivered some hard sayings to His disciples concerning the eating of His flesh and the drinking of His blood. It says, “from that time many of his disciples went back.” But they went back, not because Jesus told them of the overwhelming works they would have to do in order to be worthy of …
Sons of Belial
The law of God beats us up, but it does this for our edification, not our condemnation. Whenever we hear of His wisdom, His holiness, His righteousness, with humble hearts, it convicts us, but it also encourages us. But if we are exasperated by it, or condemned, or frustrated, or if we chafe under the …
All Good Gifts
Father and God, we thank You now for the arrival of yet another Lord’s Day. We thank You for the company of friends, for wine, for food, for the children. We are grateful to You for all good gifts, which You shower upon Your people faithfully. We look forward to our worship of You tomorrow, …