"All of life is business with God…" John Calvin
One of my favorite stories of faith in the sovereign timing of God comes from the Civil War. During the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21,1861, Confederate General Bernard Bee coined General Jackson’s nickname when he pointed to him seated on his horse amid heavy fire and shouted, “There is Jackson standing like … Continue reading The Sovereign Ruler of the Seasons
In the first chapter of Ecclesiastes, the Preacher applied his heart to the philosophical question of the meaning of life. In chapter two, he reports the results of his “hedonistic experiments” in finding purpose, meaning, and satisfaction in life through the pursuit of pleasure. I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you … Continue reading Lifestyles of the Rich and Self-Centered
I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind —Ecclesiastes 1:14 The first chapter of Ecclesiastes confronts the reader with the harsh reality of mankind’s place in this world in which we live. The Preacher sets this before us in poetic form, allowing the lyrical rise … Continue reading Vanity and Striving After Wind
I have recently managed to trim my inbox from an embarrassingly ludicrous number of emails down to those which still must be dealt with in one way or another. It took months. And yet, whenever I open my email I am frustrated by the multitudes of new messages which require no decision whatsoever before deleting … Continue reading The Words of the Preacher
In our passage this week, the nature of the pressures faced by the Colossian church are brought to light at last with Paul’s pastoral concern for them and his condemnation of the practices and the practitioners of the false teachings that threatened to undermine the believers’ faith in the all-sufficiency of their salvation in Christ. … Continue reading Christ Plus Nothing
Last week we considered how Paul could rejoice in suffering, and how we also, because of the riches of the glory of Christ in us, can face our trials with joy. This week we considered how our mutual loving encouragement, a deeper understanding of our Savior, and the actual practice of living out our faith … Continue reading The Triumph of Christ
Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake . . . Rejoicing in suffering. What a concept. What a counter-cultural, upside-down, foolish-in-the-eyes-of-the-world notion. And yet, what a thoroughly biblical response to the trials and pain Christians face in this fallen world. Being a Christian doesn’t mean that we won’t suffer. Quite to the contrary, it … Continue reading Why Paul Rejoices in Suffering
“Jesus did not come into the world for us; we came into the world for Jesus.”[1] Pause. Read that again. We are so used to a faint, if unconscious, view that the world revolves around us, that we’re blinded to the Scriptural truth that the universe really and truly exists because of, through, holds together … Continue reading He Is
Open your bible to the New Testament, and there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself in one of the letters written by the Apostle Paul. Reading through his epistles, we feel like we know Paul because he wrote in such a personal way to his readers. We hear his exhortations, frustrations, and patient corrections to … Continue reading Grace To You and Peace
