gospel

Psalm 119:53-56 — Righteous Anger?

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The goal of growing in godliness is to become more like Christ and think His thoughts after Him (2 Corinthians 10:5). But what many of us do is to become so committed to “never getting angry anymore” that instead of avoiding anger because it’s sinful and we hate it, we simply avoid the thoughts or emotions that ever even evoke anger from us. We become stoics out of strict pragmatism. We have traded sinful anger for sinful legalism. When what we ought to do is follow the man, Jesus Christ, who experienced all the temptations we do, yet exercised perfect anger, never sinning as the result. Avoiding anger altogether because you indulged too deeply in that sin before conversion is akin to avoiding church because you were a religious zealot before Christ. Put away the old—but put on the new.

Psalm 119:49-52 — Comfort Amidst Affliction

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when we are confronted with the temptation to be ashamed of God or His law, our only hope is to continue to trust in God and His Word! Christian, have you ever felt the need to apologize for God? How about when nonbelievers accuse God of evil because He judges His own creation? Or when God has provisions for slave owners in His Word? What about severe penalties for seemingly minor sins in Israel’s civil law? It is precisely because God’s ways are so different from ours that the wicked scoff at Him and His ways. Flee the temptation to apologize for God and to present Him as more palatable to the unregenerate heart—do not turn away from His law and His Word!

Psalm 119:45-48 — A Wide Place

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In verse 48, notice the repetition of the psalmist’s love for God’s commandments with is a little detail added. For what we find our delight in we will soon find ourselves giving our lives to. Is it not so with you, dear saint, that you dedicate the most time, effort, and energy toward that which you love the most? You want to know what a man loves? Direct your attention to where he spends his money, his time, and his gaze, and you will quickly know!

Psalm 119:41-44 — Answering the Taunter

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Secondly, we are reminded that the God of the Old Testament is the same God as the God of the New Testament and that He is a God of love. But not only is God love, what is striking is that He loves me. It is God’s love that is on display at the cross, and David well knows that he has no hope of delighting in the path of God’s commandments (Psalm 119:35) or keeping God’s law (Psalm 119:34) unless God “makes the first move.” We love because He first loved us! In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and gave His Son to be a propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:19,10)!

When God Turns His Back On You…

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Here is a sincere question from a person who is struggling with her faith: “Why does it seem like when people need God the most he turns his back on them?” Here is my answer to that question: When God Turned Away Let me preface it by saying it’s gonna seem like a non-answer, but … Read more

Draw Near to God – Part 3

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Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. This is James 4:8a and what we’ve been looking at together over the last couple of posts. In this final post, we want to look at how to obey this verse and what we are doing when we don’t obey this verse. How to … Read more

Hey, About Your Prodigal…

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The Scene John (in regard to “spiritual children”) said that he has no greater joy than to hear that his children walk in the truth (3 John 1:4). Inversely, how great is the despair experienced by the parents of a son or daughter who follows the wide road? I have heard stories of godly men and … Read more

Draw Near to God – Part 2

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We’ve been talking about James 4:8. Last time we looked at how this verse is a command, a commitment, and a comfort. In this post, we want to continue to think rightly about the truth we receive from this great verse. Scripture is God’s self-revelation to man. And this verse reveals 3 key things to … Read more

Religion or Relationship?

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Is Christianity about religion or a relationship? I understand what folks mean when they try to say Christianity is about a relationship, not religion, to a point. We need to understand, though, two things: first, that Christianity is a religion. Even in the early church false teachers were creeping in and trying to teach an … Read more

Why I Hope You’re Celebrating October 31st

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Post Tenebras Lux It means ‘after darkness, light’ and it’s hanging on the wall in my Study and features the pictures of John Knox, Jonathan Edwards, William Tyndale, Martin Luther, and John Calvin. I’m all for free candy, and I think it is certainly permissible for children to dress up and pretend (although I certainly … Read more

Distorting the Gospel by Who You Eat With?

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We recently finished a Bible Intensive Retreat with the brothers from Christian Communicators Worldwide. This was my 5th Intensive and one of the best I’ve attended. We spent 2 days pouring over Galatians 1–2. There was much we learned, much we sharpened one another with, and much to still chew on. But I’d like to … Read more