Prayer Answered by Crosses
I ask’d the Lord, that I might grow in faith, and love, and ev’ry grace, Might more of his salvation know, and seek more earnestly his face. ‘Twas he who taught me thus to pray, and he, I trust has
Continue reading“Your testimonies also are my delight; they are my counselors.” – Psalm 119:24
Surprised by Psalm 2:12
Light-bulb moments occur frequently while I am preaching. A fresh understanding, or application, of Scripture jumps off the page as the Holy Spirit illuminates, connects dots, and snaps mental puzzle pieces together to help me see a clearer, more beautiful
Continue readingFinding Comfort and Refuge in the King of Kings
The God of the Bible—our God—is absolutely sovereign over the nations of the world. There is no nation, government, political party, or ruler that can escape His scrutinizing oversight. He raises and lowers kings. And yet, somehow, in the mystery
Continue reading6 Reasons Believers Should Always Say “I Will” to God’s Will
According to Romans 12:2, believers can count on the will of God for their life being good, acceptable, and perfect. Therefore, there is never any good reason to not fully surrender to it. In The Christian’s Reasonable Service, Dutch Reformer
Continue readingQ&A – Mysticism
A regular reader of this blog writes, “Dear Paul, a friend of mine is extremely, extremely confused about the ‘leading of the Spirit’ etc., very mystical, continuously telling me about experiences she had and how the Lord explained them to
Continue readingNo ‘Hot Dogs’ Allowed
He was in every one of my high school gym classes. He was on every athletic team I ever played on. Whether basketball, soccer, football, or baseball, he was there. Most of the time, he possessed exceptional athletic abilities. But
Continue readingOn Being a Good Soldier – Part 2 of 2
Believers in Jesus Christ are called to live like soldiers, strengthened by grace as members of God’s army—involved in the lives of other soldiers in God’s battalion. That was the emphasis in yesterday’s post, as we began to consider the
Continue readingOn Being a Good Soldier – Part 1 of 2
Having a son in the U.S. Army has made me a bit more alert to the “soldier” analogy in Scripture. One passage in particular is Paul’s admonition to Timothy, his son in the faith. “You therefore, my son, be strong
Continue readingRemember
On this day of remembrance—without neglecting to thank God for the men and women who have given their lives to purchase our earthly freedom—let us consciously turn our attention to God who has freed us from our sin through Jesus
Continue readingEvening Prayer: The Mediator
O God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, We hope in thy Word. There we see thee, not on a fearful throne of judgment, but on a throne of grace waiting to be gracious and exalted in mercy. There we hear
Continue readingWhat Is Counseling?
One of the mantras here at Counseling One Another is “counseling is a targeted form of discipleship.” It’s a truism that, frankly, I seek to find multitude different ways of saying through this blog. However, today I’ve decided to simply
Continue readingCrucified with Christ
Crucifixion was a form of the death penalty used by the Romans in Jesus’ day. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia records the history and development of the cross as a form of punishment. The solitary cross as a form of
Continue readingThe Goodness of God
I’ve been meditating on the goodness of God toward me in Christ Jesus, His infinite love and patience, and the well-spring of His grace that transcends my ability to merit an ounce of it—even if given 10,000 lives to try.
Continue readingGod’s Ordained Instrument for Sanctification
It is time for Christians to regain a biblical understanding of the important role that an assembly of believers should have in their lives. The sooner we learn that we are not called to be consumers on the hunt for
Continue reading9Marks Weekender
It’s been silent here at the blog for a couple days because I’ve been immersed in the 9Marks Weekender at Capital Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC. For several years, I have wanted to attend this four-day event, but made
Continue readingIs Your Local Church a Discipleship Hospital?
The longer I am a Christian the more I marvel at the genius of the local church. The longer I am a pastor the more I marvel that God’s grace would be sufficient enough to save, call, and equip a
Continue readingWhen You Are Sad
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms” (James 5:13). And if you are somewhere in between, do both. Sing a psalm while you pray or pray while you sing a psalm. Try
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5 Reasons God Brings Calamity
Other than the Psalms, which deal with life in such raw honesty, there hardly seems a better place to turn when in the midst of trials than the book of Job. Job lost everything in a matter of moments; his
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