Posts from 2017 (Page 2)
An Open Letter to those Apathetic about their Sanctification
“Dear friend, How can I light a fire and get you engaged and active in wanting to grow when you don’t really seem that interested? You’re “eh,” “meh,” and “whatever.” What could shake you out of apathy and indifference? What could shake you out of plodding along through life, going through the motions in your Christianity? There’s no magic answer of course. But let me share a couple of things that I’ve found that have affected my own lethargy and…
10 Family Worship Ideas for Busy Families
“Family worship was nearly non-existent for the first several years of my marriage, but I realized something. My trepidation revealed a misgiving in my own heart. I confessed with my mouth that the gospel had changed my life. I confessed that it had the power to change others’ lives. But in my shepherding responsibilities as a husband and father I acted like it wasn’t enough and that my family needed something more than the ordinary means of grace. Have you…
An Open Letter to those Frustrated by their Progress in Sanctification
“We all love it when life leaps into forward gear and we make all kinds of progress. Problems just seem to fall away. Perhaps in your life you’ve had a season like that, a season when your life seemed to shine and flourish. Maybe it was when you first became a believer or during some period when you were very well nurtured by good community and wise input. Then there are those seasons where things go very slowly. You wonder,…
12 Ways To Preserve Christian Unity
“Satan hates God and therefore he hates God’s people, the church. His great plan for the church is to cause Christians–true believers who ought to be together in the gospel–to find ways of disagreeing among themselves, to divide, to be bitter and jealous, and ultimately to “bite and devour one another” (Gal. 5:15). Here are twelve ways that you can repulse Satan’s attacks.” Read more…
Ten Principles for Personal Productivity
“We recently talked about the book you just wrote Pastor John, back on Thursday of last week. . . . In light of that, Brandon in Charlotte, NC writes in: “Pastor John, thank you for your Christ-centred precision and for the tremendous volume of your ministry output. I’m curious how you produce so much content. What time do you wake up, or find time to read and write, or eat your cereal? You mention your aversion to TV in Don’t…
Parenting Myths We Are All Tempted To Believe
“God tells each of us that we are responsible to faithfully parent our children, and that ultimately our task is to raise our children to be fellow disciples of Christ. Through his Word he instructs us how to go about so daunting a task. Yet even while God sets the challenge and provides the instruction, he makes no guarantees about the result. He gives no sure formula that will result every time in healthy, obedient, saved children. As Christian parents…
We Are Open!
“The work of Little Mill Baptist Church began around 100 years ago as a Sunday School outreach. This was consolidated into a church that has preached the gospel in the village faithfully ever since. For over half of a century, one couple, Cyril and Betty Jones, has persevered in the work even though there were sometimes just a handful attending. Praise God for such faithful saints.” Read more..
Don’t Say God Is Silent with Your Bible Closed
“Don’t say God is silent when your Bible is closed.” I don’t know who said or shared it first, but it’s clear this simple statement resonates with many, at least it has with me. These ten words rebuke our fear that God might be inactive or uncaring in the brokenness and messiness of our lives, and reminds us that he cares, he sees, and he speaks. But too often, we’re just not listening. God is always ready to speak into…
Reprobation: Does God elect people to hell?
“The concept of reprobation is biblical, and the actual word is used in a few places (Psalm 15:4, 1 Cor 9:27, 2 Cor 13:5-7). The doctrine of reprobation is best understood in contrast with the doctrine of election. Thus the discussion of the nature of reprobation is usually had by those who already believe in election—that God chose which individuals he will save before the foundation of time. And any consideration of reprobation leads to this question: “Does God predestine…
Just-Around-the-Corner Spirituality
“Have you ever thought, “If only I didn’t have this pressing deadline, I could spend more time in prayer”? Or, “Once I recover from this illness, then I’ll be able to concentrate and study God’s Word”? Or, “If I could just line up a retreat day (or better yet, a week of vacation) then my walk with Christ could be renewed and refreshed”? Or, “If only the kids were out of diapers, I would have more time to pursue God”?…