Scotty Smith recently moved his blog to the Gospel Coalition web site. I’ve long regarded his site as a bit of a hidden treasure but I suppose it’s now less so having moved to a more public location. Nevertheless, his most recent prayer caught my eye as, through it, he reflects on a simple question.…
What difference does the gospel make? What difference does it make in your life? These are good questions to ask, I think, and good answers to ponder. How does your belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ impact your life? In what way is your life, even your Christian life, distinctly different because of the…
This morning I came across a prayer by Pastor Scotty Smith, one he wrote just recently that focuses on his life in light of the words of Psalm 27. “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of…
Rooting around through some old files today I found a great quote by Charles Spurgeon just doing what Spurgeon did so well–exposing the heart. Here is what he had to say about weeping for Jesus as we picture him hanging upon the cross, suffering for our sake. You need not weep because Christ died one-tenth…
Lately I’ve been sharing a few of the hymns and songs we sing at Grace Fellowship Church that are original or somewhat rare. Here is one written by Joseph Hart in the mid-1700’s. We sing it to a new melody written by our lead worshiper and use one of the verses as a chorus. I…
Here is one more little nugget I pulled from R.C. Sproul’s The Truth of the Cross as I read through it last week. Early in the book he spends some time discussing the human condition and as he does so he uses three biblical concepts: debtors, enemies, and criminals. The Bible describes each of us…
Earlier this week I read, or re-read, actually, R.C. Sproul’s The Truth of the Cross (an ideal book to read before Easter should you wish to prepare your heart to celebrate). In a chapter looking at the Scriptural motifs of blessing and curse, he looks at the fulfillment of the rite of circumcision. The sign…
This week I read Jaron Lanier’s book You Are Not a Gadget. Though often quite obscure, the book does offer a lot of opportunity for reflection on the way technology is impacting our lives. He has written what is probably the cleverest Preface to a book I’ve ever read (and, if I do say so…
Every now and again I like to post a song we’ve sung at church that may not be widely-known. Here is one we sing quite frequently. Titled “Wide Open Are Your Hands,” it was written by Bernard of Clairvaux back in the 10th century and translated from Latin in the 1800’s. The chorus was added…
Today at church we sang a new song, “Behold the Lamb (Communion Hymn).” It is another joint effort between Stuart Townend and Keith & Kristyn Getty. Written specifically for reflection before partaking in the Lord’s Supper, it focuses beautifully on the purpose and importance of Communion. Here it is: Behold the Lamb who bears our…
Yesterday I began reading Michael Emlet’s CrossTalk: Where Life and Scripture Meet. Just eight pages in I had to stop and reflect on this quote. Though targeted primarily at those who are in vocational ministry, I immediately saw its application even to my task as a father. A temptation in ministry is to think that…
I believe I may have posted this little poem once before. But today, for some reason, I found myself thinking of it and thought it would be fun to post once more. It was written years ago by my great grandfather (a man I never knew) who pastored an Anglican congregation in the Eastern part…
Here is some food for thought as we prepare to hear the Word preached this Lord’s Day. These quotes are drawn from a book I just read (that will be released some time in the spring) titled Expository Listening. Do you know not only what a privilege there is in hearing the Word, but also…
Every now and again I like to post a prayer here. This one is drawn from Pastor Scotty Smith. He titles it “A Prayer About Heart Care.” It seems an appropriate prayer for the beginning of a new year. Heavenly Father, The YMCA’s, health clubs and fitness centers are presently burgeoning with post-holiday-feasting traffic. We’re…
I was running back through some old notes on Jonathan Edwards’ The Religious Affections today and came across a couple of great quotes. I thought I’d share them with you as worthwhile reflections for a Saturday evening. May they stir your heart, your affections, as you prepare to dedicate a day to making much of…
Today I encountered, “A Time To Talk,” a little poem by Robert Frost. I’d suggest that, unlike some poetry, it needs little explanation. A little reflection wouldn’t hurt, though. When a friend calls to me from the roadAnd slows his horse to a meaning walk,I don’t stand still and look aroundOn all the hills I…
Here is a hymn we’ve only begun to sing recently at our church. It’s an old one and, I assume, one that may not have had a great melody (since Josh, our lead worshiper, has composed his own melody for it–I wish I had a recording so you could hear it). We sang it today…
I read a great quote earlier this week on Timmy Brister’s blog and thought it was worth sharing. It comes from D.A. Carson (in his book The Cross and Christian Ministry). What struck me about these words was just how many of these ways of destroying a church I’ve witnessed either up-close or from afar.…
You know that every now and again I like to post a prayer here. Sometimes it is a prayer from long ago, sometimes it is a prayer that is much more recent. This week I was looking at pastor Scotty Smith’s blog and came across a great prayer–one I could fully identify with and one…
Today I want to post a helpful little article excerpted from one of George Whitefield’s sermons. I post this primarily for my own benefit as one who sometimes struggles mightily in listening to and applying God’s Word as it is preached. But I know I am not alone in this and trust that you, too,…