J.C. Ryle with a challenge from Matthew 6:24 “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Singleness of purpose is one great secret of spiritual prosperity. If our … More J.C Ryle: One great secret of spiritual prosperity
“Does obedience lead to reward?” asks Coty Pinckney in a sermon, “Obedience and Tragedy” Last week we saw the dangers of putting off obedience. When Jacob returned to the land of Canaan after 20 years away, he should have returned to Bethel, the place where God had first met him. And he should have returned … More Coty Pinckney: Obedience and Tragedy
John Piper shares this story of Clarence Duncan’s Ministry to the Yao in a sermon, The Leading of the Lord in Personal Evangelism” In 1985 Clarence Duncan arrived in Africa as missionary to the solidly Muslim people called the Yao who live mainly in Tanzania, Mozambique, and Malawi. When he settled in his village, he called … More Modern Day Philip: Clarence Duncan’s Ministry to the Yao
John Piper in a sermon, “The Leading of the Lord in Personal Evangelism” from Acts 8:26-40 Now what is the point of this story? Why does Luke include it in the book of Acts? What does he want us to get out of this inspired story—since (as Paul says), “all Scripture is inspired by God … More Extraordinary Direction
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. 10 Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us this day our daily bread, 12 and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from … More Lord’s Prayer: Feet on the Ground, Heart Rising to God (John Piper)
Steven Cole on Genesis 31: In Genesis 31, Jacob is between a rock and a hard place. He has left Haran and is heading back to Canaan in obedience to the Lord. Behind him is his crafty father-in-law, Laban. Before him is his brother, Esau, whom he had cheated and run from 20 years before. … More Jacob: between a rock and a hard place.
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
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?
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.
Knowing God through His Word ... Day by Day 