This is the audio edition of “Unintended Consequences,” the written edition of which we originally published in September of 2018. You can go back and read it if you wish or just enjoy the audio edition. If you haven’t subscribed to the audio edition already, you’re missing out! Things Above Us Audio Edition audio narration […]
worship
A Change of Heart – Chapter 2: Mere Christianity (Part 4)
For the last year+, I’ve been working on a new book, A Change of Heart: Understanding Regeneration and Why it Matters. Now that I’ve finally completed my M.Div, I’ve taken this project back up again. I thought I would share the first two chapters in a series of blog posts with our readers. I hope you’re […]
A Change of Heart — Chapter 2: Mere Christianity (Part 1)
For the last year+ I’ve been working on a new book, A Change of Heart: Understanding Regeneration and Why it Matters. Now that I’ve finally completed my M.Div, I’ve taken this project back up again. I thought I would share the first two chapters in a series of blog posts with our readers. I hope you’re edified […]
A Change of Heart, ch. 1 — Heart Matters
For the last year+ I’ve been working on a new book, A Change of Heart: Understanding Regeneration and Why it Matters. Now that I’ve finally completed my M.Div, I’ve taken this project back up again. I thought I would share the first two chapters in a series of blog posts with our readers. I hope you’re edified […]
An Empty Seat on Christmas
I want you to consider your Christmas activities. For some of you, Christmas is a day filled with presents and joy, worshipping God, and visiting with loved ones. Maybe you’ve saved for months to get your children that perfect gift. My wife is making me one of my favorite meals (lengua tacos) as a gift […]
Book Review: A Call to Pure Worship
Pastor Meadows created something I really needed in this explanation of the Regulative Principle of Worship: clarity, conciseness, and a direct explanation of the doctrine.
SBC Resolution on A Reformation of Corporate Worship Practices
True, just two years ago I wrote a piece on my apathy toward resolutions. And while I still feel that, as a whole, resolutions don’t “do much” in terms of reforming the SBC, I do think they can at least be a tool of assessing where we already are as an association of churches and […]
Abounding Love
The Apostle Paul told the Phillippians that his prayer for them was that their love would abound more and more with knowledge and all discernment. If the Lord inspired Paul to pray for these saints this way and record it for us, I think we ought to know what it means for our love to […]
From the Mailbag: “Judge Not”
A woman contacted us through our contact us form and expressed some concerns with an article Justin wrote about The Send. I believe her assertions and my responses could be helpful to you, so here they are. For the sake of the post, I’ll call her Holly. Hi, Hope you’re well. God loves you just […]
Worship Me
Older generations like to make fun of all the selfies millennials take, and to an extent, that’s warranted. However, the selfie generation in America was here much earlier than the 1980s. The god of self didn’t come along with the iPhone. The iPhone is a fruit of idol worship, not the root of it.
The key attribute of the god of self is autonomy. Essentially autonomony means that “I get to do what I want because I am me. There is no one more important than me. In fact, you can’t spell awesome without ME” (I know, Taylor Swift song reference).
God’s Unborable Holiness – Part 1
*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 […]
Why it’s Not Good for Man to be Alone
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 […]
Rules for Worship
It may be surprising to many but God is not only concerned that we seek Him, but also how we seek Him. You are probably familiar with the story of Uzzah from the Old Testament but just in case you’re not, let’s do a quick review: After David became king, he desired to move the Ark of the Lord […]
Psalm 119:65-68 — Afflicted by God
Here is where we arrive at meat and potatoes of Psalm 119: the Teth octave. Why do God’s people suffer affliction? Are they not to be rewarded for their love and devotion to Him? What message does it portray to the unbelieving world when God cannot even protect His own from evil and affliction? These […]
A Jolly Missionary Report
I made a new friend recently as the result of reading about his faithfulness through a trial. I found myself praising the Lord so much while reading his letter that I wanted to share it with you. My wife and I signed up to begin supporting this mission monthly, and I want to invite you […]
What Time Is Purple? (Evangelism Report)
Thanks to Wretched Radio and a whole host of financial sponsors, I received 1000 copies of Tom Hammond’s book “What Time Is Purple?” for distribution on the campus of The Ohio State University. You can participate by being a distributor or by donating money so that others will distribute this wonderful gospel booklet. Click here […]
2018 End of Season Ministry Report for tOSU
Just four months ago I was getting ready to do evangelism at the Ohio State University’s home football games. Four months later, I fulfilled my commitment by preaching at all 7 home games. By God’s grace, I was also able to preach at an away game in Ann Arbor with good brothers and a sister […]
Psalm 34:15-22 – A Moment of Reflection
Before we begin the final third of Psalm 34, it seems right and good to take a step back and soak in the passage before we dissect it. The first third, verses 1-7, is about simple truths. The second third, verses 8-14, is about instructions for godliness. Now, in the shadow of truth and instruction […]
Trinitarian Prayer
Let not your hearts be troubled, dear saint of God. For the Father elected you, the Son paid your debt and the Spirit resurrected you and indwells you. The God of the universe has set His love upon you and even so, the whole trinity works in unity to bring you to perfection through intercession on your behalf. Be of good cheer as you consider this glorious truth!
God’s Unmatchable Holiness – Part 2
As we consider the unmatchable holiness of God (read part 1), I think there is practical application for worship in the local church. As we think about the heavenly beings described in the last post, may we not learn a few things about what it means to worship a God who alone is holy? It […]