Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. —Romans 12:2 ESV John Piper’s conclusion to a sermon on Romans 12:1-2, What is the Will of God and How … More Piper: Three Stages of Knowing and Doing the Revealed Will of God
J.C.Ryle comments on Matthew 27: We see, for another thing, in the end of Judas, that there is such a thing as repentance which is too late. We are told plainly that “Judas was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and other leaders.” We are … More Let us beware of trusting to a late repentance
Our passage from Deuteronomy mentions “God testing us.” The Bible tells us that a believer is like gold or silver that must be “tried” in a furnace to remove all the impurities in the metal. What is that process of refining silver? Psalm 66:10 For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as … More “Refining”: A process of being tested and tried
The Lord your God is testing you to find out whether you love him with all your heart and with all your soul. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him. —Deuteronomy 13:3-4 In our passage … More Tests you do not want to fail
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! We come to a doxology in Romans 11 today, and to help us unpack these verses is an excerpt from John Piper’s sermon, “The Deep Riches and Wisdom and Knowledge of God” The … More Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
Matthew 26:69-75, part of our passage for today, tells of Peter’s betrayal of Jesus. J.C. Ryle writes of a series of steps that he believes are recorded for our benefit and learning: The first step to Peter’s fall was SELF-CONFIDENCE. He said, “Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will.” The second step was … More The tree falls with a great crash, but the secret decay which accounts for it, is often not discovered until it is down on the ground.
For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.—Romans 11:21-22 ESV A prayer to see and … More The freedom of sovereign grace
Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray.”… Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” And going a little farther he fell on his face and … More Decisively Defeated
But God shoots his arrow at them; they are wounded suddenly. They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them; all who see them will wag their heads. Then all mankind fears; they tell what God has brought about and ponder what he has done. Let the righteous one rejoice in the … More Psalm 64: What God has brought about…
“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Deuteronomy 6:4-5 Dave Gutzik comments: What God most wants from us is our love. We often think God demands a hundred other things … More What God really wants from us
