Paul’s closing line in Colossians is “I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you.” Sam Storms on Colossians 4:18 ….But why call on them to “remember” his “chains”? Certainly he’s not asking for pity. The last thing he wanted was for them to shift their focus from … More Chains and grace
Luke 9:20 Then he said to them,“But who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” J.C. Ryle: We should pray frequently that God would raise up more Christians of the stamp of the apostle Peter. Erring, and unstable, and ignorant of his own heart as he sometimes proved, that blessed apostle … More Wanted: Those who will cleave to Christ when the many are against Him
Psalm 133:1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity! In John 17, Jesus prays for us as believers to have this unity, that we should be one. And in Acts 4:32, we read that, “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul.” As in music, … More Sweet harmony
But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” —1 Chronicles 21:24 ESV Are there some principles for us to follow or some application to our own lives here? David … More The cost of true sacrifice
Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2 John Piper relates this story in a sermon, “Devote Yourselves to Prayer” There is a story about D. L. Moody making a visit to Scotland in the 1800’s and opening one of his talks at a local grade school with the rhetorical question, … More Piper: The God who loves to be asked for things
And taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing over them. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. And they all ate and were satisfied. And what was left over was picked up, twelve baskets of … More Learning from leftovers
Psalm 132:16. Her saints shall shout aloud for joy. It would astonish and amuse a European stranger to hear these natives sing. They have not the least idea either of harmony or melody; noise is what they best understand, and he that sings the loudest is considered to sing the best. I have occasionally remonstrated with … More How loud do you sing the praises of Jesus?
whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father —Colossians 3:17 John Piper on worship: So you can see what is happening in the New Testament. Worship is being significantly de-institutionalized, de-localized, de-ritualized. The whole thrust is being taken off … More Reflect the value of the glory of God
J.C. Ryle comments on Luke 8: Faith in Christ’s love and power is the best remedy in time of trouble. We are told that when Jesus heard the tidings, that the ruler’s daughter was dead, He said to him, “Fear not, believe only, and she shall be made whole.” These words, no doubt, were spoken … More Ryle: the best remedy in time of trouble
“If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared” (Ps. 130:3-4). Sam Storms comments at EnjoyingGodMinistries.com: On first reading, something seems terribly askew. Would it not have made more sense for the psalmist to have said: “But with you there is justice, … More Sam Storms: fearing God is the necessary fruit of forgiveness
