Sovereignty, Love, and Our Children

In Phil 1:28, Paul is encouraging the Philippian Christians to “conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ,” which means they will stand firm. The verb “stand firm” is modified by two phrases, “striving side by side with one mind for the faith of the...

This verse has always bothered me, partially because my spiritual gift is "worry." I can find more creative ways to worry than anyone I know, and it has been a central task in my spiritual life to learn how not to worry. After all, worry exhibits a serious lack of trust...

John has been exiled to the island of Patmos, a 13 square-mile island in the Aegean Sea. He was “in the Spirit” on Sunday, worshipping God, and all of a sudden heard the voice that he likens to a trumpet and to “rushing waters” (NIV). Perhaps it is because I am...

We begin in the garden where God establishes a relationship with his creation in such a way that we know that God is the first evangelist, wanting to be reconciled to a fallen creation. It didn’t take us long to sin. Sin cannot bear the light, so God withdraws behind the...

Thank you, Father, that we are not alone, that we are part of your community, your family, adopted along with our brothers and sisters. Thank you that you are a father to us, not some dispassionate deity but the perfect Father who is concerned with the details of our...

Have you ever sinned against a person and never experienced a full release from the guilt? Have you been sinned against and never been freed from the pain? These are two sides of the same coin, but the remedies are totally different. Forgiveness If you have been sinned...

Sin begins when we attempt to become autonomous from God. We think we can do it on our own steam, out of our own resources. If you read the Bible straight through, Genesis through Revelation, two big sins come at you time and time and time again. The first big sin is...

Do you ever feel like you're being punished for no reason? Do you ever think that God is disciplining you, but you can't figure out what you've done wrong? Maybe you haven't done anything wrong and God loves you enough to work through painful circumstances to help you...

I have a deep concern for believers struggling in their faith. [The first thing that] is important to remember that no amount of effort can relieve our burden, except Christ. I think especially of my students because they want so badly to come to the Institute and begin...

The worst phone call of my life came on February 3, 1986, telling me that at our first baby, Rose, at 14 weeks had no heartbeat. The only positive thought was that the odds were in our favor that this wouldn’t happen again. But on January 17, 1988, our second daughter,...