I continue to read through Dallimore’s biography of George Whitefield and recently reached the portion which discusses John Wesley’s infamous and divisive sermon called “Free Grace.” This was the sermon that began a significant rift between Whitefield and the Wesleys, for not only did it set them at theological odds, but it also betrayed Whitefield’s…
Last week I received an interesting email from a member of a mailing list I participate in. He asked whether it is true that Satan works primarily by counterfeiting what is true. This is a subject to which I dedicated a great deal of thought while writing my book and I thought I’d type up…
Like you, I was horrified to hear of yesterday’s violence at Virginia Tech. And like you, I had immediate flashbacks to the Columbine shootings which, though they happened eight years ago, seem fresh in my mind. It was awful to see the pictures of bleeding students being carried from the campus and to see the…
One of the most destructive forces that has faced the church in recent years is the teaching that God gives Christians faith so they can exercise it to their own benefit. This gospel of health and wealth teaches that our faith allows us to demand from God whatever we desire and that He is beholden…
King for a Week is an honor I bestow on blogs that I feel are making a valuable contribution to my faith and the faith of other believers. It is a way of introducing my readers to blogs that they may also find interesting and edifying. Every two weeks (or so) I select a blog,…
This quote comes from R.L. Dabney and is drawn from his Discussions. It deals with the always-difficult subject of unity among Christians. Dabney writes realistically about the implausibility of Christians, mere men, agreeing on disputable issues such as church government. I find this quote timely as I think about associations like Together for the Gospel…
“Mary.” Of all the sentences in the Bible, this is one of my favorites. Mary Magdalene has come to Jesus’ tomb and is distressed to see that his body is gone. Convinced that someone has taken away His body, she stands outside the tomb weeping. Two angels appear and ask simply “Woman, why are you…
Suppose you were facing the darkest hour of your life. You had been accused of false charges but there was no doubt that you would be found guilty. The punishment for your crime would be a long, brutal, torturous death. But suppose that for just a few moments you were allowed a visit from another…
I believe it was Ligon Duncan who, at the Together for the Gospel conference, said that one of the great benefits of sharing and reading testimonies is that they testify to the fact that, although there is only one way to God, there are many ways to Jesus Christ. No man can come to God…
Yesterday afternoon I put the finishing touches on my book and sent it off to the publisher, one day ahead of my April 1 deadline. I had assumed that I would feel a great sense of relief after doing this but was surprised to find that my reaction was one of fear, wondering whether what…
This quote comes courtesy of D.A. Carson and the book he edited entitled Worship by the Book. It seemed appropriate in light of what I posted this morning. Carson has just defined worship and is now expanding on his definition. I have bolded the section that I found most edifying. “In an age increasingly suspicious…
The band All Star United has released some good and fun songs over the years. Unfortunately I’ve sometimes found them to toe the line a little bit with their humor. On the whole, though, they write some memorable songs and songs that tend to speak to some of the trends in the Christian world. They…
The following quote is from the pen of Horatius Bonar (1808 – 1889), the great Scottish preacher, poet, author and hymn writer. In all unbelief there are these two things–a good opinion of one’s self and a bad opinion of God. Man’s good opinion of himself makes him think it quite possible to win God’s…
Here is Iain Murray writing on the death of the great Scottish preacher Robert Bruce: Bruce was now some seventy-five years of age, his wife had been dead for several years and he was also ready for home. “I wonder why I am kept here so long,” he would say to friends. The following year,…
There was an interesting documentary last night on TLC. It featured Abby and Brittany Hensel, twins who were born in Minnesota in 1990. As the result of a rare abnormality, Abby and Brittany were born conjoined. They have two heads but one body. They have two arms and legs and each girl controls one of…
King for a Week is an honor I bestow on blogs that I feel are making a valuable contribution to my faith and the faith of other believers. Every two weeks (or so) I select a blog, link to it from my site, and add that site’s most recent headlines to my right sidebar. While…
Yesterday I began answering an email sent to me by a reader who struggles with assurance of salvation. In the first part of this two-part article I listed three important affirmations regarding assurance of salvation: it is possible and even normal for the Christian to experience assurance of salvation, it is possible and even normal…
Last week I received a moving email from a reader of this site. She revealed that she has wrestled with the issue of doubt and assurance and often wonders if she is truly saved. “I have prayed the salvation prayer numerous times because I thought that maybe I was not saved. I just prayed today…
Statistics Canada (Canada’s national governmental statistical agency) has just released the results of the 2006 census. The statistics that have caused the most discussion are those related to Canada’s population growth. The news is alarming and just happened to coincide with some reading I’ve been doing on this very topic. Canada is now a nation…
As I drove the 16(ish) hours from Toronto to Atlanta, I had a lot of time to think. Not only did I plan out what may just be my next book, but I also thought a lot about this whole global warming controversy. The day before I had read a book about the Reformation and…