“My God, I’ve never thanked Thee for my thorns. I have thanked Thee a 1,000 x for my roses, but not once for my thorns. I have been looking forward to a world where I shall get compensation for my cross: but I have never thot of my cross as itself a present glory. Teach […]

Acts 4:27–28 23 And being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them. 24 And they, when they heard it, lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, O Lord, thou that didst make the heaven and the […]

This phrase, mystery of providence, is borrowed from the Puritans. The Puritan John Flavel wrote in The Mystery of Providence. We should worship God as we read the book of providence around us.13 The Heidelberg Catechism gives us useful applications: What does it profit us to know that God has created and by His providence […]

The life of Job. In one sense, in light of what we saw at the first point was, there is no such thing as innocent suffering in an absolute sense. There is a lot of reflection in Scripture on innocent suffering in some lesser sense, and no book reflects on it more probingly than the […]

We saw last week how Eve was the first one that stood in the judgment of God. After her conversation with Satan, she begins to entertain the possibility that she can stand in judgment of God. Eve is being invited, in effect, to make her own list of what’s good and evil. This is not […]

If you live long enough, you will suffer. If you haven’t suffered yet, you will. The only alternative is not living long enough. If you live long enough, you will be bereaved. If you live long enough, you’ll contract cancer, consumptive heart failure. You might go through a divorce. You might have a road accident […]

Psalm 139:13-16 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. 14 I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought […]

“Lord, harden me against myself, The coward with pathetic voice, Who craves for ease and rest and joy. Myself, arch traitor to myself, My hollowest friend, my deadliest foe, My clog whatever road I go.” Amy Carmichael missionary to India.   What Tolstoy wrote of science, applies to all of the sciences: “Science is meaningless […]

The greatest gift in life is life itself, we are not accidents, God wanted us to be. The question is, How are we searching for purpose in our life, our own ultimate why for everything we do? What do I mean by “calling”? Calling is the truth that God calls us to himself so decisively […]

I’M SURE MOST OF YOU CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS IN THE TRADITIONAL FASHION WITH PRESENTS, FOOD, AND FAMILY. SOME PUT UP BIG CHRISTMAS TREES AND HOUSE LIGHTS, AND YOU MAY EVEN HAVE A “KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS” MAGNET ON YOUR CAR. A SEASON FILLED WITH PREPARATION AND ANTICIPATION OF SHOPPING IN CROWDED MALLS, WRITING AND MAILING CHRISTMAS […]