When your conscience rises up and condemns you, where will you turn?

John Piper on Hebrews 9: So here we are in the modern age, the age of science, space travel—E-mail, heart transplants, instant replays, beepers, 911—and our problem is fundamentally the same as always: our consciences condemn us and make us feel unacceptable to God. We are alienated from God. We don’t feel good enough to … More When your conscience rises up and condemns you, where will you turn?

Piper: Prayer shows the reaches of our poverty and the riches of his grace

Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is his delight. John Piper, in a sermon, “The Pleasure of God in the Prayers of the Upright” My hope is that the effect of this message will not only be that you feel encouraged to … More Piper: Prayer shows the reaches of our poverty and the riches of his grace

Ryle: Means and Mercy

J.C. Ryle comments on the blind beggar in Luke 18:35-43 The miracle described in these verses is rich in instruction. It was one of the great works which witnessed that Christ was sent of the Father. (John 5:36.) But this is not all. It contains also some lively patterns of spiritual things which deserve attentive … More Ryle: Means and Mercy

Unexpected Grace

C.H. Spurgeon, comments in Morning and Evening: “He that watereth shall be watered also himself.”—Proverbs 11:25 We are here taught the great lesson, that to get, we must give; that to accumulate, we must scatter; that to make ourselves happy, we must make others happy; and that in order to become spiritually vigorous, we must … More Unexpected Grace

Ryle: this death is the ground of all our confidence

J.C. Ryle on the Transfiguration account in Luke 9: …this passage shows us that the Old Testament saints in glory take a deep interest in Christ’s atoning death. We are told that when Moses and Elijah appeared in glory with our Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration, they “talked with Him.” And what was the subject of … More Ryle: this death is the ground of all our confidence

Grace be “with” you

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 Grace be “with” you