The Freedom Gained Through Forgiveness
Forgiveness is a tricky word. That’s partly because most of us are always tempted to spell it with an unnecessary “e” between “for” and “giveness.” But it’s mostly because of the deep-rooted emotion attached to the concept of forgiveness. In fact, I suspect the...
God the Maker and Craftsman, Promises More than Cheap Crap
“Step right up and win some cheap crap,” so says a paraphrase from the Steve Martin played Navin Johnson in one of my favorite movies, The Jerk. I’ll circle back to this magnificent scene before the end of this post, I promise. For now, as we consider God the maker,...
Understanding and Responding to the Stirring Ache of a Restless Spirit
Several times in life, I’ve diagnosed myself as having a restless spirit. I’ve often thought it indicative of a compulsion to do something creative. Other times, I’ve felt it as an awareness that mighty life changes are afoot. Sometimes, I’ve found...
Not Giving Up… Even When the Universe Hates You
My unofficial hiatus might be construed as me giving up. And truth be told, I considered it. Not so much as “giving up” but more like “moving on” to a new season. Back in 2019, as I was finishing my study of Edward’s resolutions, I was...
Your Divine Calling and Getting Out of God’s Way
A divine calling is not just a purpose or call. A lot of folks exhaust a lot of time searching for what it is God “wants them to do with their life”. And many writers distill the path to that down to a few “easy steps”. Presumably, getting to...
What is Biblical Virtue and the Essential Need for Integrity of Heart?
The concept of virtue is a bit of an oddity. On the one hand, one might “stand for virtue.” But on the other hand, we ponder what actually constitutes virtue. In other words, there is both a definition of it and a classification of virtues in the plural. A common...
How Fooling Yourself is Hurting you Now and Eternally
You’re fooling yourself again… when you think just one cookie won’t break your diet. Or that you must purchase batteries and Chapstick simply because they’re in the checkout line. It’s so convenient. While you’re at it, go ahead and buy a little bottle of soda for a...
God Hears Us – Manton’s 27th Sermon on Psalm 119 – Part 2
Despite what may sometimes seem otherwise, God hears his people. Prayer is an important and intimate communion with God in which we take our praises and petitions while seeking forgiveness. It’s a moment to gain clarity of God’s signal in our lives of constant...
Transparency – Manton’s 27th Sermon on Psalm 119 – Part 1
In this first of a three part series, we consider transparency with God. It comes after studying Dr. Thomas Manton’s 27th sermon on Psalm 119. Manton is relatively unknown today. However, the preacher and theologian of the 1600s was prominently known and...
The Gripping Fear of God and God’s Rejection
God’s rejection is real. That’s a very tough reality. And it’s a fear that – at least secretly – haunts every Christian at some point. Perhaps even non-Christians give this some serious thought. There are two things I have observed about Jonathan Edwards...