John Piper, in a message, “The Lord Stood By Me” The Lord did not stand by Paul merely for the sake of his own peace, or merely for the church in Rome. The Lord stood by him and strengthened him “that all the nations [panta ta ethne] might hear.” Perhaps the tribunal was full of … More Strengthened for missions!
Luke 18:24-27 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 Those who heard it … More Grace, and not place, is the hinge on which our salvation turns.
Proverbs 13:13 Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded. From Faith’s Checkbook by C. H. Spurgeon: HOLY awe of God’s Word is at a great discount. Men think themselves wiser than the Word of the Lord, and sit in judgment upon it. “So did not I, … More Scorn the scorning of the scorner
Nehemiah 11:2 And the people blessed all the men who willingly offered to live in Jerusalem. We have been reading in Nehemiah how the city of Jerusalem and its walls were being rebuilt, and how the people were turning back to God and renewing their covenant with Him. Today, we read how the people decided WHO … More Urban and Missional
2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. John Piper, in a sermon, “All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God and Profitable” That is a remarkable … More How does the Bible equip us for “every good work”?
John Piper asks: Now how does Jesus’ parable in Luke 18:1–8 encourage us to keep on praying earnestly when prayer week is over? A widow comes to an unjust judge and pleads for help. She is being oppressed unjustly and wants him to use his authority to seek her relief. That’s us, the widow. Weak, … More Wearing out the Judge?
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down, but a good word makes him glad. Proverbs 12:25 Do you have anxiety in your heart? Are there others around you that are being weighed down with an anxious heart? According to the Bible, a good word can change their outlook. Will you reach out with a … More Encouraging Eeyore
John Piper, in the introduction to the sermon, “Is the Kingdom Present or Future?” Luke 17:20-21 Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God was coming, he answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Lo, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, … More The kingdom of God: a future reality to be hoped for or a present reality to experience now?
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid. Proverbs 12:1 No one really LOVES getting disciplined, at the time, but when we look back, we can see the benefits. We learn much through the loving correction of others, whether our parents or faithful friends. Proverbs says we are STUPID if we … More Blind Spots
Phillip Graham Ryken writes in Thermelios: Ezra also had a mind for biblical truth. Perhaps the best example comes from Nehemiah 8, where Ezra gathers the Israelites to renew the covenant in Jerusalem. The heart of that renewal was the reading and preaching of God’s Word. Ezra gathered people in the square in front of the … More One of our first and best models for expository preaching…
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 