My father read Scripture and prayed with us. Sometimes, he would kneel at his chair and pray. Discipline was of the corporal variety, without anger or belittling, and usually concluded with prayer and hugs. I dreaded the “old tickler,” for a spanking meant pain, as well it should, for how else can we learn that sin hurts us? One morning, when he happened to be at home, I was belittling my sister, which was a perverse sport with me. In addition to the usual discipline, he dire

Most people today look at everything from the psychological perspective. How does this make me feel? Will it help my sense of well-being, personal comfort, and self-esteem? When human psychology guides, God is left in the dust. He says, “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling” (Phil. 2:12). Instead of the joy of honest nearness to him, the bitter bile surges. Fear and trembling? I thought Jesus put an end to morbid thoughts. Surely the Lord does not w

Our Lord set highest value upon things that appear to have no value, at least not to us. He travelled to Samaria to talk with a serial adulteress. Why not make a trip to Rome, talk with Tiberius, set the world in order? A poor sinner was more important to him than a proud emperor. He stood in the temple courtyard and watched a woman throw “two mites” into the treasury. A mite was 1/8 of a penny. Translation: she gave nothing. The way our Lord sat mesmerized by

Their place is quiet, already remembering them no more. Cries, questions, laughter – silence. Their room is more like a tomb, their bed a vacant bier. Well-meant flowers are not beautiful, comforting words barely heard. Sleep for the living is uneasy, hard to come by, not refreshing. Why, Lord, have you done this? We can trace his answer in Scripture. He loves his little ones. As soon as he said “seed” to Adam and Eve, children were front and center; his Son w

Within our fallen soul, ingratitude is a deeply buried seed. If we have plenty, we want more. If we have daily bread, we want it for the next twenty years, all stored up, on pretty plates that we prefer. Curated consumerism is the dissatisfied dead-end of our ingratitude – life on our terms, a buffet with only our favorite dishes, and more of the same tomorrow. Yet, when it comes to “thank you,” the soul’s throat is as dry as dust. What does it take for the soul to feel and

The precious phrase “means of grace” is defined well by our Shorter Catechism: “The outward and ordinary means whereby Christ communicates to us the benefits of redemption, are his ordinances, especially the word, sacraments, and prayer; all of which are made effectual to the elect for salvation.” Means of grace are ways the Lord has given to us so that we may grow in him and enjoy the salvation he has purchased for us. The Christian life is not a frustrated

In The Four Loves , C.S. Lewis observed that “all that is not eternal is eternally out of date.” Too much of our time and thought are wasted on the non-eternal. Only that which is done for our Savior’s honor and in obedience to him is eternal and therefore relevant. In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul makes a set of astounding statements that challenge us to bring the eternal into the present, heaven into our lives. He says “the time is short” (v. 29). The times have be

With “church” and “spirituality” taking so many different forms and emphases through denominations and movements, celebrities and influencers, a simplifying question helps distinguish true Christianity from the many false prophets who have gone out into the world. “Would the apostles recognize this?” If an apostle walked into this particular gathering of believers, would he call this “worship?” Would he ask, “Where did you come up with this ritual or tradition

I suppose if Paul had been a real man, he would never have written Galatians 6:9: “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season, we shall reap, if we faint not.” Real men do not faint. They always have it together. Real men do not lose heart. They have all the answers. Real men speak, and it is done, for wives and children exist to obey their every command. But in God’s world, the strongest men and women become weary, even exhausted. Sowing and rea

Occasions for discouragement are many. We live in a fallen world, and we are fallen. Every person experiences degrees of pain and loss, trouble and sorrow, sickness and weakness, betrayal and sudden, shocking setbacks. These do not happen to all in the same measure, but that they happen counsels us to have realistic expectations about our lives in this world. We must take seriously God’s explanation for life and its troubles. Unbelieving men and practitioners usually assume

When offered his share of Nebuchadnezzar’s delicacies, Daniel “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s food.” Daniel did not think to himself: “When in Rome, do as the Romans.” He did not get himself a new set of convictions, as many do today when they leave home. Undoubtedly my parents were too strict. I suspect they abused me, for they would not allow me to live as I please. The church has her share of these “Dinah’s,” who leave the security o

Christmas exposes the deepening divide in our nation between those who hate Jesus Christ and all he represents, and those who love the Savior – or at least are positively haunted by him. There is no détente between these two sides, for God started this war (Gen. 3:15). He will finish it (Rom. 9:27). Every knee that does not bow to his Son will be crushed: not by us; not by ballot box stuffing; not by finding cutesy ways to make our faith sweet and inoffensive. God will crush

“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you (1 Thess. 5:18). In every season of life, in good times or hard, living under tyranny or enjoying liberty, in a mansion or a shack, having godly children or wayward ones, loving or hating your present employment, skinny or fat, at peace with your wife or struggling, thank the Lord! Because, second, his will is and ought to be considered the holy, truly good, and just cause of all things. We

No child of God is ever alone. We are indwelled by the invincible Helper, the Holy Spirit of God. The word translated helper or comforter in our English Bible means one who comes alongside. His coming alongside is permanent, for we are sealed by the Holy Spirit. Words fail to express how necessary it is to know and believe this. The Holy Spirit is the great gift from the Father, sent by the Father and Son to quicken, justify, adopt, sanctify, and raise our bod

When we read the Reformation-era critiques of Roman Catholicism, there is regular mention of the relief the Lord gives to trembling consciences when we believe the true gospel. Sin imposes a real and debilitating sense of guilt upon the human soul. It must, for we are created in God’s image. The conscience is an inner judge of our actions. When our conscience is guilty, it is filled with anxiety, like an inner, turbulent sea. Roman Catholicism’s system of pena

The way some tell it, Protestantism and the Reformation have run their course. The cutting edge now is to go back, West or East, Rome or Constantinople. Many internet trolls are telling young people that they are too smart to remain a Protestant. If by Protestant, one means the hipster preacher who is not an apologist for the Christian faith but constantly apologizing for it and the satanic attempts to make the church as familiar to the world as possible, one

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