Should God Reward You On Your Own Terms?
In the book of Job, Elihu asks a profound question, “Should God reward you on your terms, when you refuse to repent?” Elihu is raising the question as to whether God will accept man’s terms for receiving salvation apart from the means God has provided? This is just one of hundreds of penetrating questions appearing in the Bible that God invites us to ponder.
The Imitation of Christ
About 600 years ago, Thomas à Kempis, an Augustinian monk, wrote four booklets that became collectively known as The Imitation of Christ. This short book greatly influenced future Christian writers such as Martin Luther, Samuel Johnson, and George Eliot. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, believed it contained the best summary of the Christian life he had ever read. . . .
Springtime in Nature and Grace
This post includes excerpts from a sermon Charles Spurgeon preached in 1887 reflecting on the beautiful and heartwarming passage from Isaiah 55:10-13 and a video link to the joyful 1st movement of Vivaldi’s Spring. May you in this spring season “go out in joy and be led forth in peace” and may God’s word not return to Him empty but accomplish His purposes for you.
Grace upon Grace
On Christmas morning my wife and I visited my father who lives in an assisted living facility. We watched several Christmas carols on Youtube and then listened to a recording of a meaningful sermon preached by Sam Lindamood on Christmas Day 1977. Sam was the pastor at Piedmont Community Church, a non-denominational church where my parents were members. In this sermon, Sam reflects on the profound words from John 1:16, “And from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” . . .
Brand New Day
Do you ever wonder why God in His wisdom divided up time into blocks of days, weeks, months, seasons, and years? Does the repetitive cadence of these divisions give you comfort? Does it ever make you feel like you have been given a fresh start? Do the daily sunrise and sunset, or the seasonal seedtime and harvest, lead you to give thanks to the Creator for His faithfulness? . . .
Resolving to Love Calvin and Hobbes
Three years ago I came across an essay on Calvin and Hobbes that speaks profoundly to both the Law and the Gospel. For those not familiar with Bill Watterson’s comic strip, which ran for only ten years from 1985-1995, it magically explores the life between a young boy and his imaginary tiger . . .
A Christmas Memory
Many years ago during one Advent season, I discovered an old book in my parent’s home titled “A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote. I often searched my parents’ book shelves as my mother was an avid collector of old books. To her every one was a treasure. This particular book was a thin, plain, cheaply made book, published in 1956 with the picture above glued to the book cover . . .
God As I Don’t Understand Him
A few days ago I came across an excerpt from a memoir written by Heather Kopp titled Sober Mercies. It struck me how easy it is to lose our way when we think we have God figured out . . .