It is easy to fall into a prayer rut. Who hasn’t? At such times, I’ve found reading a book on prayer helpful. But, where do you start? There are so many books and not all are equally biblical, edifying, or instructive.
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It’s tempting to think of “finding God’s will” as a game of hide-and-seek. So, we look for a sign, a dream, a voice from heaven, a subjective sense, a favorable fortune cookie, or some other revelatory circumstance. But, rarely do we ask, “Is God’s will something to be found?”
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Concerning the many varied responsibilities of gospel ministry, Paul told Timothy to, “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress” (1 Tim. 4:15). He didn’t say, “Wait until you have it all together”, or “Let all see your curated online persona.” Instead, he said, “Make progress.” How freeing. We can all make progress.
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This question isn't relevant until it is, and when it is, it is really relevant. Most conversations about discerning calling into vocational ministry can be reduced to some form of internal, external, and circumstantial factors. These are great. But, what follows is a slightly deeper reflection I recently shared with a group of aspiring missionaries and church leaders.
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This week, I came across this gem of a meditation by John Newton. He reminds us that in God’s economy, disappointment is not merely a loss, but a lesson—and how regularly we need this lesson!
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This past Sunday, we walked through an overview of the entire Bible, and I closed with the following seven suggestions for improving your reading this year. These aren’t mind-blowing, but perhaps they’ll be of some help.
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On Sunday I shared the poem, "God Moves in a Mysterious Way" by William Cowper (1731-1800), with Downtown Cornerstone. It's an oldie, but a goodie. Over the years it has become deeply meaningful to me.
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John Stott on the secret to understanding what Jesus’ cross was for.
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One of the things our church has done, since the very beginning, is carve out one night a month for corporate prayer and song. We call it our monthly prayer night. This is a step-by-step guide to what that looks like.
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By God's grace, and the generosity of our church, our family was able to get some extended time away last month. In addition to having longer-than-usual stretches to read the Scriptures, I had a chance to read a number of great books and revisit some others I’ve found to be helpful in the past.
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Right thoughts, carried by the Spirit, throw gasoline on the fire of our affections, while wrong thoughts douse them. Here's how America’s greatest theologian put it.
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It's difficult to not like John Bunyan (1628-1688). He had an incredible gift for preaching to the heart. If anything, Bunyan teaches us that we will never plumb the unfathomable riches of the gospel (and its implications), but we should give it a try any way.
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