*The following is an adapted excerpt from Before the Throne: Reflections on God’s Holiness by Allen S. Nelson IV (2019). No Room for Meh When it comes to responding to the holiness of God we have two options (See Isaiah 6:5 and Revelation 4:8). Woe is me or worthy are You. Do you know what … Read more
Honey is never bitter or sour, and neither is the Bible to the adopted child of God. We taste it, take it within ourselves, and then come back for more. But like honey, it has to be searched for and found, then extracted from its comb. Honey doesn’t come from Heaven in jars. There is danger and even peril in taking the fruit of the bee, and we also must be willing to endure trial when we dig into God’s Word. You may even get stung!
Jesus wrapped himself in flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14). However, according to an article written by a contributor for Themelios, a webpage for The Gospel Coalition: “…flesh is not merely a gender-neutral term for humanity, but often a euphemism for the sexual dimension of human experience.” In a review of the book, Intimate … Read more
One of the ways we proclaim our great Savior to the world is through the institution of marriage. Marriage is a picture of Christ and His Bride, the Church (Ephesians 5:32). We reflect God’s faithfulness, mercy, and love when we love our spouse the way He has commanded us. A natural question proceeds from our … Read more
There have been quite a few famous speeches in the course of human history. Winston Churchill and William Wilberforce both addressed the British House of Commons in their respective eras with words that have been dramatized by Hollywood. Abraham Lincoln’s words at Gettysburg are studied by elementary students year after year. Socrates had his Apology … Read more
What’s Your Meditation? Psalms 119:97 ESV Mem Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. The book of psalms starts out with Blessed is the man who delights in God’s law and meditates on it day and night (Psalm 1:1-2). That recurring theme is not lost on us as we begin … Read more
Examine Yourself How do you know you are really a Christian? Do you really know you are going to spend eternity in Heaven when you die? Are you sure you are actually right with a just and holy God? Can a true Christian lose their salvation? I recognize there is a danger in addressing this … Read more
Our church has slowly been making its way through Genesis 1–11 on Sunday mornings. It has been so amazing to see how important these chapters are to contemporary events. The Bible truly is living and active! In Genesis 2:18, Moses writes: Then the LORD God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I … Read more
This past Sunday two men were up to be affirmed as new elders of our church. As our senior pastor read through the qualifications listed in 1 Timothy 3 I was struck by the last trait listed in the first paragraph: 1 Timothy 3:7 (NASB) And he must have a good reputation with those outside … Read more
We noticed the strangest thing when our middle son was 6 years old playing baseball. Now, little boys playing baseball are always going to get dirty, but there seemed to be something exceptionally dirty about our son. My wife observed it first. “I think Caleb is rubbing dirt on his face.” “No way! He’s just … Read more
We Remember Psalms 119:93 ESV I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life. One of the most depressing themes of scripture is the frequency and ease with which the people of God tend to forget what He has said. The Scripture is replete with reminders (1 Corinthians 15:1; Jude 1:5,17; … Read more
I’ve shared this on other blogs before, but given the recent apostasy of Joshua Harris and Marty Sampson, it is always good, by way of reflection and introspection, to be reminded of your own spiritual condition before God. I’ve counseled countless believers and unbelievers about the fruit of salvation, and the doctrine of assurance. And … Read more