Knowing about and knowing by sight are not the same.

John Piper, in a sermon, “Wonderful Things From Your Word” You can see many things when you come to the Word without God’s opening the eyes of your heart. You can see words and grammatical constructions. You can see logical connections. You can see historical facts. You can see an author’s rational intention. You can … More Knowing about and knowing by sight are not the same.

The greatness of God

From Spurgeon’s sermon, “Fear Not”, posted at “Grace Gems” Lift up your eyes, behold the heavens, the work of God’s fingers– behold the sun guided in his daily march; go forth at midnight, and behold the heavens; consider the stars and the moon; look upon these works of God’s hands, and if you be men of sense, and your … More The greatness of God

What remains after going through the furnace?

Proverbs 17:3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts. God tests us, tests our hearts.  Repeatedy in the Bible, we read that HE refines us, tests us, just as precious metals are refined to remove impurities.  Read these other passages, and ask yourself what remains after going … More What remains after going through the furnace?

A Tale of Two Suppers

Ray Stedman on Esther 7: The chapter opens with an intimate supper in a private banqueting room where Queen Esther, the king, and Haman, the evil prime minister, are gathered, and it closes with a man nailed, screaming, to a tree until he is dead. Here is one of those frequent timeless foreshadowings of the … More A Tale of Two Suppers

Sleepless in Susa

Bob Deffinbaugh comments at Bible.org: A sleepless night for the king changed the course of history and resulted in the deliverance of the Jews throughout the Persian Empire. In reality, it was a divinely orchestrated sequence of events. Those events nullified the law wicked Haman had passed by deceiving the king and spared the lives … More Sleepless in Susa

Will you say anything rather than acknowledge being in the wrong?

Now tell me, was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?” And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From man,’ all the people will stone us to death, for they are convinced that John … More Will you say anything rather than acknowledge being in the wrong?