In a sermon, “The Story of a Stiff-Necked People” John Piper unpacks Acts 7, our reading for today: Two Ways Stephen’s Message Ministers to Us What we need to do today is let Stephen’s message minister to us in at least two ways. He says that Israel “Always resists the Holy Spirit.” This means, first, … More John Piper: Stephen’s message is both encouragement and warning
Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the SALT of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the LIGHT of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. … More J.C. Ryle: dare to be singular and unlike the world
C. H. Spurgeon comments on Psalm 11:5 “The Lord tests the righteous” from The Treasury of David: “The Lord trieth the righteous:” he doth not hate them, but only tries them. They are precious to him, and therefore he refines them with afflictions. None of the Lord’s children may hope to escape from trial, nor, indeed, in … More Spurgeon: Are you seeking to avoid a blessing?
Henry Law, at “Grace Gems!” Ponder well this Ladder. Another like it, earth never saw. Mark its extent. It unites the worlds of Deity and man. It connects our sin-vile hovels with the abode of the Eternal. Resting on the ground, which our feet defile, it rises and stretches upward, and pierces the skies, and mounts … More The SUMMIT of this Ladder is Jesus reigning, the ever living God.
God is sovereign and His Spirit leads us to the right opportunities for ministry. We see this in Acts 16:6-10…. Pastor Steven J. Cole comments: Opportunities come to those who are already serving, not to those who are doing nothing…..Sometimes people don’t serve the Lord because they’ve never experienced a dramatic “call” to ministry. But this … More Wait for a dramatic “call”? or just start serving God?
J. C. Ryle comments on Matthew 5:1-12, The Beatitudes: Would we know what kind of people Christians ought to be? Would we know the character at which Christians ought to aim? Would we know the outward walk and inward habit of mind which become a follower of Jesus? Then let us often study the sermon … More J. C. Ryle: Eight great testing truths…
Comments on Psalm 10:6 from James Saurin, 1677-1730 found at The Treasury of David “He hath said in his heart, I shall not be moved: for I shall never be in adversity.” To consider religion always on the comfortable side; to congratulate one’s self for having obtained the end before we have made use of the … More Calm Before the Storm?
In our reading for today, Genesis 25-26, we encounter the story of Esau selling his birthright to his younger brother, Jacob, in a moment of hunger. “Alexander MacLaren was a renowned preacher of the 19th and 20th century. Expositions of Holy Scripture brings together many of the sermons over his fifty years in ministry.” Here … More A Bad Bargain
Acts 5:17-21a But the high priest rose up and all who were with him, that is, the party of the Sadducees, and filled with jealousy they arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison. But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out and said, “Go … More John Piper: The preciousness of spiritual power is that it is God’s power and not ours.
Matthew 4:23-25 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, epileptics, … More J.C. Ryle: These miracles are meant to teach us….
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 