Sin in the Believer
This morning, after spending time in the Psalms, my eye glanced to my left and caught a volume that I’ve not pulled off the shelf in quite some time. So, I picked up A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life and
Continue readingAuthor: Paul Tautges
Sinclair Ferguson on the Nature of Sin
While meditating on Psalm 51 and the gracious work of God in David’s heart, Sinclair Ferguson, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC, describes the layers of sin that dwell in our hearts. Understanding the depth of our sinfulness
Continue readingStay Close to the Fire
Tomorrow is the Lord’s Day and perhaps it’s been awhile since you determined to worship with God’s people because of how badly you are fighting discouragement. Let me encourage you to consider these words from Sinclair Ferguson, which he wrote
Continue reading“Fifty Shades of Grey” Dispels an Old Myth
The best-selling book Fifty Shades of Grey dispels the old myth that women do not use pornography, that it’s a “man’s problem.” Forever we’ve heard the claim that women are “not turned on by sight.” But the popularity of Fifty
Continue readingA Lifelong Student in the Lord’s School
Having a teachable spirit is at the heart of progress in the Christian life. Only the stubbornness of our pride keeps us from becoming all that God desires for us to be in Christ. The ones who make the most
Continue readingPastor, Don’t Let One Critic Control Your Preaching
Fearing man is common among pastors, but the struggle is not new; it’s been a temptation since the days of the prophets and the apostles. Paul confessed in the book of Galatians, “For am I now seeking the favor of
Continue readingDeeply Devoted to You
The past few days, I’ve been reading One Cry by Byron Paulus and Bill Elliff (See yesterday’s post). At the end of the chapter that focuses on returning to our first love—loving Christ—Elliff penned this poem as he reflected on
Continue readingFalling In and Out of Love
I’m thinking about love for Christ, tonight. How easy it is for us as believers to fall out of love with Jesus in the same sense as the Ephesian believers did. “You have left your first love,” Jesus said to
Continue reading8 Days w/o My iPhone
Yesterday, my considerate wife made a special trip into town to deliver to my workplace the replacement phone for which I had (impatiently!) waited 8 days. At first, those days seemed like forever, but the more time passed by the
Continue reading“Not In Me” – A Song for the Pharisee In Each of Us
We learned this new song, based on Luke 18:9-14, in corporate worship yesterday. It reminds us of where we stand without Christ and exalts Him as the only true source of righteousness. No list of sins I have not done,
Continue readingComfort the Grieving
On a regular basis, I receive inquiries as to how to obtain copies of my book Comfort Those Who Grieve: Ministering God’s Grace in Times of Loss (It’s been hard to find since stock was intentionally allowed to run out
Continue readingCreation-Category Idols and Resting In Our True Identity
In the past couple weeks, I have picked up one of Paul Tripp’s devotional books, A Shelter in the Time of Storm, and again my heart has been ministered to in simple, yet deep ways. God has gifted Paul Tripp
Continue readingSpurgeon Gives Hope to Those Who Fight Through Depression
It has been long understood that Charles Spurgeon, the famed preacher at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in the 1800’s, wrestled against this darkness through much of his pastoral ministry. As a result, many of us who fight this same aspect of
Continue readingCan You Help Me Find Assurance of Salvation?
Shortly after Christmas, I received the following email from a reader of this blog. I’m wondering if you can help me. I have prayed to be saved multiple times, knowing it is not by human effort. I was raised in
Continue readingWhat Depression Teaches Us
As the counseling book review editor for Books At a Glance, I’m regularly asked to review new books related to one-another ministry. Thus far, the books have been chosen by others for me to review, as it is with the
Continue readingFanning the Flames of One Holy Passion
This morning, I found myself stirred to take off my shelf a copy of my favorite R.C. Sproul book, One Holy Passion: The Consuming Thirst to Know God. I remember buying this book in the fall of 1988 at our
Continue readingLast Year’s Busiest Day – Depression & the Pastor’s Wife
My WordPress annual report notice has been flashing on my dashboard for a few days, so I finally took a look at it last night. I was immediately surprised by one statistic and yet should not have been. February 3rd
Continue readingFaith Looks Forward
This morning, I awoke with the desire to page through a Moleskine journal that I recently filled up; my soul needed to feed upon the workings of the Spirit in my mind and heart in the past—taking in, again, spiritual
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