“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." (Isaiah 53:6 ESV) We will soon enter the Passion Week and reflect upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. At the center of this glorious gospel is the substitutionary …
Author: Jeff
Love That Will Not Let You Go
“Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.” (Psalm 63:3 ESV) As we seek to understand difficult doctrines like hell, election, the existence of evil, and unjust suffering, it is good to affirm the sovereignty of God over it all and the glory of God as the ultimate purpose of it …
Growing Weary?
The weariness of winter struck again today in Minnesota. Enduring icy snow and poor road conditions, we are reminded that some things linger in our lives longer than we expect. This year's winter season has strong staying power. Many of us have grown weary as we wait for spring to sprout across our frozen tundra. …
Election and Love
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but …
Lose Hell, Lose the Gospel
The recent firestorm over hell is summarized here and here. It is not new that someone would question the doctrine of eternal punishment in hell for people who never come to Christ by faith. Sadly, it is not new that even professing Christian ministers would question such a doctrine. But with such controversy comes a …
Should Christians Be Militant?
The word militant means "vigorously active and aggressive, especially in support of a cause; engaged in warfare; fighting." We see examples of militancy in different segments of our world today. Radical Islam is militant as it seeks to kill infidels and spread extremism. The new atheism is militant in its attack on believers and belief in God. What we have seen in the union uprising in Wisconsin …
Faithful to the Faithless
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful—for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13 ESV) Unfaithfulness abounds in our world today. Marriages are shattered over unfaithfulness to wedding vows. Promises and contracts are broken because people are no longer true to their word. Christians say that they love God with all their heart, soul, and mind …
Unyielding Happiness
“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4 ESV) An unhappy Christian is a contradiction. This is not because a Christian's life is free from unhappy things. The downers of life - things like sorrow, suffering , stress, trials, etc. - are just as real for the Christian as anyone else. Unhappy things can …
Slaying a Sour Attitude
“Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:25-26 ESV) "Life stinks!" This is one of many colorful phrases people use to describe a negative attitude …
Admiring the Majestic Beauty of Our Lord
“One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4 ESV) Of the seven natural wonders in the world, the Grand …
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