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Books I Read in 2025
Another year has gone by. It’s cliché, but time flies. The older I get, the faster it goes. This post marks my 10th year of posting the books I read. That’s a long run! To celebrate, I created a new page on my website…
Books I Read in 2024
Here are the books I read in 2024.
Remember the Birds
The next time you step outside, look for the birds. You don’t even have to look. You can listen for them. They’re out there flying around, making music, gathering sticks for nests, poking at the ground for worms. They’re…
Books I Read in 2023
The books I read in 2023.
God is Utterly in Control
A quote from David Powlison that will encourage your worried heart.
The Radical Power of Forgiveness
Forgiveness does not seem to us to be a missional strategy, but it is. It always has been. The felt forgiveness we experience from God should flow out through us to others. When we forgive rather than take offense, when…
From High Conflict to Open Doors - How Hospitality Can Change Our World
God’s call on our lives to practice hospitality is an unignorable command throughout the New Testament. We cannot overlook this. If we want to be obedient to God’s word and a faithful presence as witnesses for Christ in…
God Saves Sinnners
A quote from J.I. Packer on salvation.
Post Christendom and the Front Porch
Highlighting an article that needs more attention.
When Jesus Comforts the Accused
Christianity says that we are guilty, but we aren’t condemned. Jesus comforts the rightly accused.
The Shepherd We're All Looking For
Jesus is the shepherd we’re all looking for—the one who can care for us powerfully, relentlessly, and everlastingly.
Don't Miss Jesus in the Bible
The Pharisees were the most diligent Bible readers the world has ever seen, but Jesus said they missed the entire point because they didn’t see him. That means it is possible to read the Bible and miss what it says.
A Simple Plan to Read the Bible
You can read the Bible. And you can start right now.
Some Things to Know About the Bible
Reading the Bible is a life-long pursuit. For some of us, it’s still a very daunting book. Maybe you’ve tried to read it several times and can’t seem to make it through. Perhaps you’ve read it multiple times all the way…
A Good Way to Start Your Day
A quote from Richard Lovelace on what to tell yourself each morning.
The Gospel is the Main Application of the Bible
Two week ago, I argued that Jesus is the main character of the Bible. Last week, I argued that grace is the main theme of the Bible. This week, I will explain how the gospel is the main application of the Bible.
Grace is the Main Theme of the Bible
Last week, I argued that Jesus is the main character of the Bible. This week, I will argue that grace is the main theme of the Bible.
Jesus is the Main Character of the Bible
Jesus is the main character of the Bible. Miss that, and you misunderstand the Bible. Get that, and it all suddenly starts making more sense.
Some Quotes on the Intercession of Christ
A few quotes on the intercession of Christ.
Five More Applications of Christ's Intercession
By virtue of his all-sufficient atoning sacrifice, Jesus stands at the Father's right hand in heaven, working and praying for us to accomplish our full salvation. Here are five more applications of this doctrine.
Three Applications of Christ's Intercession
By virtue of his all-sufficient atoning sacrifice, Jesus stands at the Father's right hand in heaven, working and praying for us to accomplish our full salvation. Here are three applications of this doctrine.
The Gift of Tim Keller
Tim Keller is now with Jesus. It’s the one place he longed most to be.
Marked to Obey
“The LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” — Deuteronomy 30:6 Circumcision is…
The Saddest Psalm
A meditation on Psalm 88
The Throne From Which He Rules The World
Any contemporary observer, who saw Christ die, would have listened with astonished incredulity to the claim that the Crucified was a Conqueror. Had he not been rejected by his own nation, betrayed, denied and deserted…
Let's Thank God
Let’s thank God, using Psalm 100 as our guide.
The Thirstier We Are
A mediation of Psalm 143
The True Miracle
The true miracle of the cross.
Knowing God's Purpose for Your Life
A quote from J.I. Packer on discerning God’s call on our lives.
He Does All Things Well
He does all things well.
How the Wisdom of God Healed Man
A quote from Augustine on the healing of Jesus.
Christianity is a Singing Faith
A quote on one result of the resurrection.
The Real You and the Real Jesus
The wonderful thing about the gospel is that when we step inside God’s sacred light, we find healing in ways nothing else can provide.
The Proper Equation
A quote from Ray Ortlund on gospel doctrine and gospel culture.
Amazing Grace
Thomas Brooks on the amazing grace of Jesus.
Loving Humility Can Subdue the World
A quote from Fyodor Dostoyevsky on the power of humble love.
The Four Elements of Forgiveness
Tim Keller on the four elements of forgiveness
We Could Not Be More Secure
A quote from Tim Keller on the security found in Christ.
Judas
A riff on Judas.
The Concept of Substitution
John Stott on the concept of substitution.
The Darkness in the Grave
Only a dead Jesus saves. Only a dead and buried Jesus experienced the full wrath of God against our sin. Only a dead and buried Jesus can resurrect.
The Books I Read in 2022
The books I read in 2022.
The Darkness Over the Son
God will hear us now because, on the cross, Jesus wasn’t heard. We will never be forsaken because on the cross, he was.
The Darkness on the Earth
Amid the darkness all around, the spotlight is on the cross. There, our savior hangs, mangled and marred. It’s messy, and it’s bloody because it must be. This is the only way to forgiveness.
You Serve A Higher Master
We all have earthly masters. Some of them are good bosses. Some are not. But we all have a higher master who is good and does good, and he is who ultimately matters.
Paul's Address to Bondservants in Colossians 3
The Christian gospel speaks to all people in every situation all the time. You cannot get any socially lower than a slave. But Jesus doesn’t ignore the lowly. He speaks directly to them.
C.S. Lewis on Praise
A quote from C.S. Lewis on praise.
His Love Will Never End
We give thanks to God for all things because he is good and because his love will never end.
A Village God
When we gather, let’s pray to the big God for this big world with its big needs.
The Gospel Never Does Nothing
Christ who is the content of the gospel leaves no one in a neutral state. —Herman Bavinck, The Wonderful Works of God, page 399 The one thing the gospel never does is nothing. Under the preaching of the gospel, no one…
The Finished Work of Christ
One of my favorite phrases is “the finished work of Christ.” When Jesus died on the cross, he did not say, “My part is done, now your turn.”
No Longer Trembling At the Rustling of a Wind-Blown Leaf
Roland Bainton, in his biography of Luther, shows us the way the gospel changed Luther’s heart from a fearful man into a fearless leader of the Reformation.
We Point to Him
As John Webster says, “Everything that is to be said of the church is said by saying, ‘We point to him.’”
The God Who is There
In the beginning was the Word, and in the end, there he will be too,
How to Spoil the Gospel
In Ryle’s book, he wrote about “the many ways in which the faith of Christ may be marred and spoiled, without being positively denied…the very reason that so much religion called Christian, is not…” He then laid out four…
When the Devil Waits For You
Some gospel-soaked encouragement from Martin Luther.
The Supremacy of Jesus
Colossians 1:15-20 is one of the most magnificent descriptions of Jesus in all of the Bible.
The Freedom of Not Knowing and The Responsibility of Learning
We’re all asking questions no one can really answer, and our only responsibility is to try and find out.
What's In A Name?
Abram had 99 problems, but a name wasn’t one. Exalted father ain’t too shabby, unless, of course, God says it’s not enough.
My Only Comfort
Hope in an increasingly hopeless world is shrouded in mystery. But it is there. It is real. It is available. It is a gift—and that is the thing we must all remember.
A Prayer for Ukraine
A prayer for Ukraine.
The Books I Read in 2021
The books I read in 2021.
Human Kind Cannot Bear Very Much Reality
We cannot bear very much reality. So we go into virtual reality. Strapping on our headsets, we depart from this world to another. We fight fake battles and climb mountains of pixels. We bowl alone, our eyes wrapped in…
One Irrefutable Truth For Today
There is a very simple and basic truth I want to share with you. But before I do, I want to emphasize that it’s a truth. It’s not an idea. It’s not a theory. It’s not even a hope. It’s a reality that’s as true as the…
Who is the "I" in Romans 7:7-25?
Paul says he cannot understand his own actions. There is much controversy over exactly who Paul is referring to in this passage. Throughout verses 7-25, he uses the personal pronoun I. So who is he talking about?
The Battle We Cannot Win and the Battle We Cannot Lose
In Romans 7:7-13, Paul talks about the Christian as if he is two people in one body. There is the Moral Self with a high moral compass, wanting to obey the law. Then there is the Law-Breaking Self who breaks the law.…
Just Keep Going
No matter how strong we start, time has a way of eroding our zeal. No matter how good the effort is initially, time’s strain wears us out. No matter how righteous the thing is, we grow weary of it. The worst enemy of…
The Bible Warned Us About This
The Bible warned us about this. Putting our faith in someone other than Jesus will inevitably lead to disappointment. And we do it anyway. That’s why it hurts so bad when our heroes fall.
The Necessity of Friendship
The story of a friendship and the necessity that only appears when life falls apart.
The Books I Read in 2020
The books I read in 2020.
What I Wrote in 2020
For the first time, I decided to create a year-end round-up of sorts for my writing life. Here are links to articles, sermons, and resources published this year. I hope these are an encouragement to you.
With Me You Shall Be In Safekeeping
It’s in the Christ where once upon a time becomes happily ever after. Maybe not in this life, but surely in the life to come. The good King wins, not by his might but by his weakness, not by his circumstance but in spite…
The Final Salute
I never called him Fred. To me, he was Granddad because that’s who he was to Sarah. He was married to Gammie. They were family from the start. I never, even on that first visit, felt like an outsider.Sixteen years later,…
Win the Inning
Baseball innings consist of three outs. Get three outs and you’ve won the inning. Even a long inning only lasts a matter of minutes. With life as crazy as it is, let’s not over-complicate it. Getting through 2020 sounds…
Jumping Skyward
The fire’s sparks jump skyward like dancers to the rhythm of a beat I cannot hear. One after another—jumping, jumping, jumping. The constancy reminds me of the order of things, built into the very warp and woof of life.…
One Thing Worth Remembering
Then my mind wandered to the other things I forgot. That email at work I meant to respond to. The request in my personal inbox with an invitation to join a conversation on a podcast. The sermon prep I meant to get a…
Where It's All His
The play of a child when no one is watching is beautiful. It is who we all want to be: lost in a world of our own making, where it’s all ours. I left that place long ago, but my children still live there. They haven’t…
God's Excellent Greatness For You
God’s excellent greatness is that he’s not too great for you. He’s never too busy. He always has time. And nothing ever goes against his perfect plan. Who God is for you is all you need him to be at every moment of your…
Are You An Orphan or a Child?
Of all the benefits of the gospel offers, none is higher than this truth of the Fatherhood of God.
Missing Not One
What we need to get from our drab, everyday doubts and fears is a big vision of the big God who created this whole world, and who is re-creating it in the redemption of Christ.
Our Father Almighty
Remember the old school-yard debate? “My dad could beat up your dad.” In a boy’s eyes, no one is stronger or mightier than their dad. It should be this way. Dads are strong and mighty. But though our earthly fathers…
That Which is Me Must Become the Me of God
The Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. But the Lord said to Moses,…
The Gospel Creates Conviction
This world, with its in-your-face-ness, forces us to make opinions about many things. We are judged based on them. But the God of the Bible asks us to be convinced of one thing only—that he is God who saves.
The Disturbing Interaction with the Rich Young Ruler
What is Jesus doing? He’s telling us that salvation is not something man can accomplish. No matter how much we do, we can never gain heaven. We’re a big, smelly camel trying to fit through the narrow holiness God…
Are You In God's Kingdom?
Let’s beware of missing Jesus. Let’s beware of standing in the presence of God and missing the hope of the gospel. Let’s beware of our knowledge and agreement shielding us from repentance and belief. Let’s not merely…
Are We Building Barriers or Removing Barriers?
We have two options: we can make rules to exclude or remove barriers to include. If God’s church is a house of prayer—a house of worship—then everyone is welcome. Everyone has a chance to meet Jesus.
She is Valued for Herself Alone
Why was she here? What was her purpose? History has struggled to answer. She’s been a bit of everything, really. She’s been in bondage and she’s been free. She’s been valued and discarded. She’s been used and abused.…
The Books I Read in 2019
The books I read in 2019.
Looking Back Over the Past Decade
Looking back now, my decade probably wasn’t too different from yours. Babies were born. People died. Life was lived. Tears and joy mingled to make a portrait of something bigger and more complex than we could ever…
Jesus Our Hope
The two disciples began the seven-mile walk home from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Despairing recent events, they didn’t notice the man joining their party until he began talking. Had they known him? They certainly had, though…
There Will Most Assuredly Come A Morning
A year ago, we gathered in a cemetery chapel next to a coffin that seemed too small to be real. That beast Cancer had taken another. This time, little Finn.
Mercy Will Come
When your sin puts you in the depths of despair, and you have no way out on your own, there is a God above who rules and reigns and forgives and saves.
There Will Be Confession
A little over a hundred years ago, God broke through in Korea. As the Spirit moved, public confession flowed. Here is one account of the impact.
Will You Not Revive Us Again: Five Questions About Revival
I recently prepared a talk to my church’s men’s gathering on Psalm 85 and revival. During that time of preparation, I was reminded of a sermon from Ray Ortlund in September 2018. During that sermon, he answered five…
“God is on his throne, everything is going his way, and he loves me”
I had a friend who used to answer a common question in an uncommon way. He has since moved to another city, but his response has never left me. For a long time, when I would ask how he was, he gave a three-fold…
A Revolution Comes to Its Rallying Place
I have only a small vantage point compared to the all-knowing eyes above, but what I saw that Sunday was breathtaking.
How is Your Giving Life Going?
I recently read Randy Alcorn’s book Money, Possessions, and Eternity. The entire book is a ball of conviction. His argument is so impactful because it comes from the pages of Scripture. This part particularly got me.
What I Learned from Ray Ortlund
When it first launched, www.ImmanuelNashville.com was a picture of a coffee cup, a space for an email address, and an offer to meet for coffee. So I entered my address. A few days later, my friend Jared and I were…
Are Our Prayers Covenental or Selfish?
How “covenental” are our prayers? How centered are they on God’s revealed word? How much do they lean on his promises? How many are merely selfish desires robed in Christian language?
The Gospel is Big Enough for Your Church
Every church has something at the center. Something driving the gatherings, the activities, the functions. Something serving as the engine powering everything that moves. What’s at the center is what’s all around.
Repentance as Discipleship
Repentance is part of the good news of the gospel. It’s how we get free. We need that kind of freedom over and over again. Repentance is saying, “I was wrong” to the One who has never been wrong and cannot sin, and,…
Why Honesty Is Key to Gospel-Centeredness
If we are to build and maintain gospel-centered churches, we must allow the gospel to make us honest people.
When Failure Leads to Worship
Yes, we fail, but God is good and worthy to be worshiped. He accepts us by the blood of Christ. We can draw near to him right now.
The Miraculous Ministry of Jesus
Miracles point us not only to what God can do but to who God is.
It Wasn't Easy for Him
When Jesus entered our world, he came all the way down. He lived no middle-class life. He was invited into the places of power only to be condemned. His withstood the full weight of temptation but never gave in. His…
We Want to Fight
In calling his first disciples, Jesus made certain they understood the cost of following. He said that God’s kingdom, for God’s people, must be the first priority.
The Kingdom of God is for You
Here’s Christ’s kingdom offer: all our striving and trying for all his finished and accomplished.
The Kingdom of God is Radically New
Here’s the question: will we hold onto the status quo or will we make room for Jesus and join the wedding celebration?
The Kingdom of God is for Sinners
We are all—everyone us—diagnosed with a sickness unto death. And the sinners and tax collectors he sat among saw it. They saw their sickness. So they welcomed the Physician. But the Pharisees didn’t.
When the Authoritative Jesus Shows Up
In this world, abuse of power comes as no surprise. That’s why when Jesus comes, his use of power is so surprising. With all the power in the universe, he uses it to lay down his life as a ransom for many.
When God Calls
Genesis 12:1 shows us what happens when God speaks to a man. Before God speaks, deadness and darkness; after God speaks, life abundant. Abram’s redemption—like every believer’s—began with God speaking. No one comes to…
Moving
At 9:00 AM last Friday, I signed the closing papers on the house my wife and I owned for nearly eleven years. Immediately after, we signed the papers to purchase our next home.
The Father Himself Loves You
It’s too easy for us to misunderstand the heart of God. From the beginning, the enemy has come with his damning question, “Did God really say…?” Since Adam and Eve answered, “No,” it’s been a disaster for the rest of us.…
Why We Suffer
Why is suffering, like taxes, so ubiquitous? Joshua Chatraw and Mark Allen take up that question in their book Apologetics at the Cross: An Introduction for Christian Witness. They ask, “Does the Bible give an apologetic…
The Books I Read in 2018
At the end of the year, I look back with gratitude that God gave us the gift of language, the ability to write, and for all the writers who labored over every word to give the world a treasure.Here’s what I read in 2018…
What is the Difference Between the Holiness of God and His Righteousness?
God moves in two directions: toward himself in holiness and toward his people in righteousness.
How to Forge a Friendship
Friendships are an amazing discovery in life. But strong friendships don’t just spring from nothing. Friendships require wise effort. They require forging. And in his grace, God has given us wisdom in the book of…
Will We Go When Wisdom Calls?
Jesus is not only the Sage we need; he’s the Savior we need. The wisdom of God is more than just right thinking; it’s the glories of his righteousness and the wonders of his love.
When God's Wisdom Comes Down
A wise community says so much about the person and work of God because a wise community shows this foolish world what shalom looks like, what true peace is.
When God Gives Wisdom
The wisdom we need does not rise up from within us; it comes down from the wise God above as we seek him out. God offers his wisdom from his book for his people.
The Fear of the Lord is Humility
Humility is the currency of God’s kingdom, not because it’s easier to get but because it’s more joyous to have—and God’s kingdom is a kingdom of joy. True humility is true freedom because it looks beyond one’s self to…
When God Swallows Your Sin
When we face our sins, openly and honestly, and turn to God with open hands of faith, God will swallow our sins in Christ.
When Your Sin Finds You Out
Jonah thought he ran from God’s presence. He thought his sin was his own personal issue. But his sin found him out. God knows, no matter where you are, if you're faithful or not. Others may not know your sin yet, but God…
Why Does Church Membership Matter?
You may say, “I can be part of Christ’s cosmic church without joining a local church.” To that, I would say, “Try it.”
Is Church Membership Biblical?
The entire New Testament speaks not only of the church but to the Church.
What is Church Membership?
Simply put, church membership is a commitment to join Christ on his mission with his people for his glory.
What Good Are You Withholding?
Ray Ortlund, in his commentary on the book of Proverbs, comments on the culture of life wisdom creates.
Jonathan Edwards and the Christian's Safety
A Christian is safe insofar as he leans upon the Lord’s goodness to him. We may search for safety outside of God, but the further in we go, the safer we are.
Books I Read in July 2018
I've always loved poetry. I write it from time to time, but you'll probably never see it. I'm not a good poet, even if I do enjoy good poetry. And during the month of July, I read a good deal of poetry, with a little…
Emmaus
Imagining the disciples on the Emmaus Road. A fictional first-person narrative I wrote. %t %u
When the Spirit Comes Down
When the Holy Spirit comes down, he changes our culture. We go from selfishness to selflessness, from pride to humility, from fear to courage.
When the Spirit Fills
The Bible calls us to live with wise urgency. How are we going to do that? By being filled with God himself.
When Christ's Call is Urgent
When Christ calls us to himself, he calls us immediately. There is no ramp-up period. We don’t ease into new life with Christ. He starts his work immediately, and he never lets up.
Are You an Orphan or A Child?
If you’re in Christ, God relates to you not like a king to a servant or a boss to an employee but as a father to a child, with warmth and depth, tenderness and care, attention and intention.
When Jesus Calls
As he began the most important work the world has ever seen, Jesus invited a group of complicated sinners to come along. Discipleship was important to Jesus. His choosing of them, his investment in them, and his…
Books I Read in June 2018
Here's what I read in June 2018.
Books I Read in May 2018
May was the freest month I've had so far this year. I didn't preach during the month, and I was only obligated to write one article. So, how did I fill my time? Well, baseball was one way. The other was reading.Here are…
What Can the Kindness of Jesus Christ Accomplish?
In his latest book, Some Pastors and Teachers , Sinclair Ferguson considers how God changed the city of Geneva through the ministry of John Calvin. He questions how Geneva was “transformed from a quasi-political…
Will You Trust Him?
The Christian has a hope that a non-Christian cannot have. It is the hope that everything in this life is meaningful.
How to Make the Most of Your Daily Bible Reading
At the start of the year, I stood before my church and presented an opportunity for each of us to enter into a daily experience of joy. I held a Bible in one hand and a reading plan in another.
Saying Yes to Christ is Saying Yes to Joy
True grace gives us the backbone to stand up for God’s purpose in the world. We become willing to suffer for the cause of Christ because Christ is the purpose of all human history. He’s the only thing ultimately worth…
Union with Christ
Union with Christ means that who Christ is we are.
When I'm Not Productive...I'm Loved Anyway
I wonder: have I made a god out of productivity?
Books I Read in April 2018
April is always a slow reading month for me. I'm not a big TV-watcher. But when April rolls around, we get into what I consider to be the best TV time of the year: Major League Baseball opens their season and the NBA and…
When Your Son Needs Fatherly Approval
I had no idea the whole night was a test of my approval. Andy believed he passed. He did. But he was the only one testing. He had my approval all along.
Saved by Grace Through Faith
Your sin can’t kick you out of God’s love because your righteousness never put you in it. God saves by grace through faith. It’s a gift. All you must do is receive it.
What Jesus Meant About the Lost Sheep
Jesus was the smartest man to ever walk this earth. He’s still the smartest man alive. So much of his recorded teachings have far more Old Testament allusions than we modern Gentile readers can fathom. As we were…
Books I Read in March 2018
It's hard to believe we're already a quarter of the way through 2018. Time goes incredibly fast. Good books help us make it along the way. Here's what I read in March 2018.
The Bible's Call to Imitate the Prostitute
Imitate the prostitute is not a familiar cry. But the Bible is not an ordinary book. Christianity is not a run-of-the-mill religion. The claims of Christ are sweeping, gathering up prostitute and eunuch alike. Only the…
The Seeds of the Worst Deeds Are In Your Heart
David’s sin didn’t start with Bathsheba in his bed. David’s sin started with Bathsheba in his mind. David should have nipped it in the bud. Instead, he let it flower, growing with anticipation as he awaited Bathsheba’s…
Dying to Racism, Living to God
Remember Galatians 2:11-14, when Paul opposed Peter to his face. Why did Paul oppose him? When certain Jews came from Jerusalem, Peter withdrew from eating with the Gentiles to eat with the Jews. Peter, who knew the…
How Far Does God's Grace Go?
Jesus was asking them a simple question: how far does God’s grace go? How far does his love stretch? How deep does it plunge? To the worst sinner? To the deepest depravity? To the best Pharisee? To the smartest scribe?
The Secret That Changed Billy Graham's Ministry
“In 1949 I had been having a great many doubts concerning the Bible. I thought I saw apparent contradictions in Scripture. Some things I could not reconcile with my restricted concept of God. When I stood up to preach,…
Books I Read in February 2018
Here's what I read in February 2018.
The Heir of All Things
Jesus is the heir of all things, and that all things includes you.
Praise: Inner Health Made Audible
Throughout Ephesians 1, there is a goal. Three times, in verses 6, 12, and 14, is a call to praise God for his grace. I wonder what you think of that. I wonder if it sounds a strange goal to you?
The True and Better Leonardo
God is the true and better Leonardo. But rather than taking a blank canvas and layering paint drop by drop, he takes a soiled heart, made hard by sin, and softens it, reworks it, in fact, remakes it into his image.
The Lamb's Blood Did This?
The scene: Exodus 12. God sends the final devastating plague to the Egyptians.
Books I Read in January 2018
January means it's time to start on the year's reading goals. Here's what I read in January 2018.
Looking Comes First
Spiritual leaders must do many things. They must shepherd and serve and teach, but they must not turn our attention away from Jesus. How can they paint the picture of heaven if they’ve only seen the outskirts? They must…
Francis Schaeffer on Spiritual Leadership
For Schaeffer, spiritual leadership was comprised of two things. First, spiritual leadership maintained a neutral outlook on leadership itself. Second, spiritual leadership held closely to gospel doctrine without…
Now We Know
In the story of the sacrifice of Isaac, we see something of the heart of God for his people. Abraham's faithfulness takes us into God's faithfulness.
The Outlandish Joy of Obeying Jesus
Today's blog post kicks it to another great blogging platform, Gospel-Centered Discipleship , where I have an article reflecting on one of Jonathan Edwards' resolutions. While you're there, check out some other great…
Jesus is Never Late
Jesus is there with you in your need, not only before or after the need. Help is help only when it comes on time. Jesus is never late.
Why We're Reading Through the Bible At Refuge Church in 2018
Reading the Bible in a year is not spiritual benchmark whereupon those crossing the finish line arrive at a new spiritual plane. It is not the indication that one is more serious about Christ than any other Christian. It…
Books I Read in 2017
It's the time of year for lists. Here are the best books I read in 2017 as well as the rest I read throughout the year, categorized, but in no particular order.
What God Gave at Christmas
At Christmas, Jesus became the only person ever born on a mission to die. He became the only priest to ever walk the road of a sacrificial lamb.
Community is A Costly Business
What could God do if we used 2018 to reach out beyond social media to the real persons behind the avatars? It would be costlier, yes. But it would be more beautiful and more satisfying. And, in the end, it may be the…
Dreaming Dreams and Taking Risks
no matter who we are or what we have or where we may be, God has entrusted something to us. What shall we do with it? That is the question to which we must find the answer. All our hopes and dreams must circle that…
My Default Assumption Is Wrong
The default assumption I bring to my relationship with God is that he loves me for what I do. I bet you assume the same thing, too.
The One Who Upholds
A little over seven years ago, one phrase in the first chapter of the book of Hebrews grabbed my attention. “He upholds the universe by the word of his power.”
From Making the Dream Team to Making Dreams Come True: Why David Robinson is the Truest Dream Teamer
David Robinson was a basketball player—and a really great one. But Robinson’s life was bigger than basketball, and when it was over, he passed the baton to his friend Tim Duncan and got to work making dreams come true…
According to the Flesh or Through the Promise
Sin makes us illogical. It muddies our mind, causing us to choose things contrary to the right path. Paul highlights this lack of logic in selecting the law over Christ.
Where is Wisdom?
As every age does, we search out wisdom apart from God. But we cannot find it. Until we turn away from evil and to God we never will.
What Should We Believe?
There is a spirit behind every religious message. John tells us it’s either from God or from the Antichrist. What should we believe? That's such an important question, isn’t it? What we believe forms what we worship, and…
I Want My Kids to Be Good
I want my kids to be good people. I want them to know right from wrong. I want them to stand up for the oppressed, the bullied, and the outcast. I want them to be influencers for good in the world. Doesn’t every parent…
Ashamed? Of the Gospel?
We have a choice: embrace the shame of the cross, or become ashamed of the cross. In God’s Kingdom, laying down your life gives life back, and holding on to life takes it away. The choice seems obvious, but it must be…
All You Need Is Love
Jesus said one characteristic would set his people apart. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). But love for one another isn’t an automatic. It’s a…
The Two Chairs and Christianity's Better Way
In Hebrews 11, the author gives example after example of what faith looks like. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. But faith does not guarantee an easy life. An easy life isn't…
How Do You Respond to God's Word?
What we do with God’s word is a pointer to what we would do with God himself. If we treat his word as worthless, disgusting, imposing, violating, or offensive, then we will also treat God himself that way.
Two Kinds of Forgiveness
In Matthew 18:21-35, Jesus tells a parable about an unforgiving servant. Through it, he's helping us see two kinds of radical, radical forgiveness and radical unforgiveness, and what will happen if we ignore the former…
Like a Treasure Hidden
Gaining the Kingdom doesn’t cost us anything. Receiving the Kingdom costs us everything. And it’s a happy trade-off. Everything we’ve ever longed for is inside. In his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that…
Reflections on the For the Church Conference
I just returned from the For the Church Conference hosted by Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, MO. It was the best conference, with the best content, I’ve ever attended. Here are three reflections…
J.I. Packer's Ten Ways to Know God's Purpose for Your Life
In J.I. Packer's book, Knowing God's Purpose for Your Life, he gives ten statements that help us discern God's call on our life.
Will He Fail You Now?
In all human history, God has not yet failed one person who has trusted in him. Will he fail you now?
The Worst (Best) Part of Holding Memories
We are complex beings. Ancient moments never forgotten shape and mold us into the men and women we are today. The slight grin of others when you were a kid and fell going down the stairs. The disappointment you caused…
10 Things I've Learned A Year Into Church Planting
[caption align="alignnone" width="2500"] Photo by sergio souza on Unsplash [/caption] Over a year ago, I wrote a piece on what church planting is teaching me. That was a few months before the public launch of Refug…
How A Flood in 2010 Became Redemptive
This was originally posted June 7, 2016 on thingsofthesort.com. In light of the recent flooding in Texas, I wanted to repost. I understand the fear, heartbreak, and sadness a flood brings. The Nashville flood in 2010…
How the Kingdom Grows
In Matthew 13, Jesus begins telling parables, explaining what the kingdom of God is like. He begins with the sower, moves on to the weeds, and then, to further answer the question of the kingdom, Jesus gives two more…
Can You Listen and Repent?
All Isaiah’s hearers had to do was listen and repent. But they couldn’t. Can you?
Bearing the Marks of Jesus
We may struggle through this life, but the marks we bear on our body will one day match the marks Jesus bore on his. And when we enter eternal life we will find, amazingly, we have the garment necessary for entrance into…
Men Are Lonely. Let's Change That.
Our churches should seek to fight the American pastime of loneliness. We want to push against the cultural call to isolation and push into the gospel call to loving our neighbor. The Christian life is hard enough as it…
Die to self. Live to God.
The Christian life is not easy. It’s messy, bloody, sacrificial. It is a constant walking our sin toward the cross, offering the flesh, nailing it to the wood, and leaving it until it suffocates. It’s horrifyingly ugly…
True Freedom
What is true freedom? In our day, everyone wants it, but no one can find it.
Why Trade Your Sonship for Slavery?
The biggest “Why?” question we must answer is this. Why are we reluctant to rest in God’s finished work? Why do we insist that we have our hand in our salvation? Why would we, who have never succeeded fully at anything…
Indifference Toward God
In the Bible, God tells us the story of everything culminating in the most important thing: the gospel of Jesus Christ. But walk into any group discussion among American Christians and listen for the conversation to…
A Shack to Impress God
We are too often tempted to sell our sonship for slavery. That’s where our heart leads when we forget the gospel.
How to Greet Visitors to Your Church on Sunday
Some of us are more outgoing than others. Some of us can talk in groups better than one-on-one. But all of us have a responsibility to welcome others into the church God has called us to. There are countless ways to do…
The Gospel is the Entire Meal
When the gospel comes first in our message, obedience flows from it. When obedience comes first in our message, the gospel becomes a side dish rather than the entire meal.
We Need A New Heart
We have a problem, and what we need is not a simple removal of guilt. We don’t need our guilty slate wiped clean. We need a new slate altogether. Our problem is not one of degree, with some being more guilty than others.…