John Piper, in a sermon on Luke 18 “Let the Children Come to Me” In verse 15 there were parents bringing their infants to Jesus. The disciples rebuke them. Jesus rejects this rebuke and encourages the parents to bring their children to him. Then, as if to warn the disciples, he says, “Whoever does not … More Are you childlike toward God?
From the ESV Study Bible: Prov. 13:1–6 Headed by the call to be a wise son (10:1), these proverbs also utilize a play on words (cf. 10:6–32) relating to both speech (hears/listen, 13:1; mouth, vv. 2–3; lips, v. 3; falsehood,v. 5) and eating/desire (eats, v. 2; desire, v. 2; craves and richly supplied, v. 4) in order to assure those who seek to guard their mouth (v. 3) through righteousness … More The importance of guarding the mouth
Nehemiah 10:28 speaks of “the rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, singers, temple servants, and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand.” Pastor P. G. Matthew, of Grace Valley Community Church, … More Confession: personal, public, practical and particular
All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. —2 Timothy 3:16 John Piper, in a sermon, “All Scripture Is Breathed Out by God and Profitable” That is a remarkable phrase: “every … More The Bible equips us for every good work
John Piper asks: 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, poor, and no husband to speak up for us. Her only source of help, the judge. Our only source: God. … More Piper: Everything hangs on God being different from this 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 The power of a good word
Steven Cole on Nehemiah 9: God’s abundant mercy is the dominant theme of this prayer. It begins by exalting God and His glorious name (9:5) and then it starts where the Bible does, with God as the almighty Creator of everything, who gives life to every living creature. All the angels bow before Him (9:6). … More God’s grace is greater!
But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, … More Ever the struggling skeptic?
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 Don’t be stupid
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, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” John Piper, in the … More Now and Later
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 