Helping you grow in God's all-sufficient grace and truth
Godly wisdom stands in stark contrast to earthly wisdom. First, we saw this in James’ admiration of the meekness of wisdom. Then we learned what hellish wisdom looks like and the rotten fruit it produces. Today, we wrap up this
Continue readingContinuing from yesterday, we are considering a key New Testament passage on wisdom, James 3:13-18. We already noted that meekness is a key mark of the wise person. Today, we examine the features and fruits of worldly wisdom explained in
Continue reading
The difference between godly wisdom and worldly wisdom is the difference between righteousness and unrighteousness, heaven and hell, God and Satan. The contrast is that great. Yet God has made His wisdom readily available to those who seek for it.
Continue reading
God listens to those who listen to him. The proof of this is all over Scripture. Isaiah 66:2 offers a prime example when God says, “this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite
Continue reading
Hiding beneath the cloak of our perceived goodness are religious sins, those that feed self-awareness of our spirituality. Instead of driving us to God in humble dependence upon his grace, they blind us, fuel self-righteousness, breed spiritual apathy, and often
Continue readingPride Still Matters in Ministry – The day after ministry success, Andy Farmer reflects on Augustine’s insights. Why It’s Terrible News that Millenials Are Having Less Sex – This interesting article from The Federalist reveals how porn and the anti-social
Continue readingFear is a crippling form of unbelief that usually leads to many other sins, one of which is the unforgiving spirit that leads to resentment and deep-seated bitterness. How does sinful fear hinder the experience of true forgiveness? Answering this
Continue readingStarting today, each Friday I plan to re-post an article from previous years which I think will be an encouragement and will equip you as you continue to follow our gracious Lord. Here’s one from February 2012. God’s leadership principles
Continue readingWhat is godliness? Is it measured by conformity to a list of man-made rules and regulations? Does it consist primarily of prohibitions? These are questions that Jerry Bridges answered for me many years ago in his book The Practice of
Continue readingIt is not uncommon for one chapter to be worth the price of a book. I said that to myself when I finished reading “Learning Contentment,” the tenth chapter in Sinclair Ferguson’s Deserted by God? But then, right after I
Continue readingWe 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 reading
“Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat” (Luke 22:31). Did Jesus ever speak more startling words to His disciples? Though Peter is named, since he was their leader, Jesus is referring to all of the
Continue readingTake 20 minutes this weekend to read these 5 helpful articles: You’re Always Being Fed–It’s Sometimes Just Cotton Candy – “Cotton candy preaching works against itself. Whatever methodology a pastor works from, his goal is the same: to see people
Continue reading“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves” (2 Corinthians 4:7). God makes himself very clear. The reason He chooses to use ordinary people
Continue readingGod’s leadership principles are the complete opposite of man’s. Consider just one. If a man wants to go up then he goes up. If he wants to climb the corporate ladder then he climbs (often stepping on a good number
Continue readingOver the past month, or so, I have been addressing the problem of Pharisaism–the self-righteous attitudes and thinking that every one of us as sinners battle to one degree or another. This blogging emphasis has been sparked by my reading
Continue readingStubbornness is one of the chief causes of immaturity. This manifestation of a prideful heart causes one to stiffen his or her neck, cover their ears when God graciously brings instruction or rebuke, and thereby refuse to listen to the
Continue readingWhen we think of the many faces of our rebellion against God it is the obvious sins we recognize most easily. Outward, behavioral sins such as those of the body, speech, or addictions are readily acknowledged. However, it is the
Continue reading
By God’s grace, I’m a husband, dad, grandpa, and pastor at Cornerstone Community Church in Mayfield Hts, OH. I love Christ because He first loved me.
