As amazing as A.I. is and as impressive the panoply of papers, pictures, and videos it can put out, it is still a “dumb idol” and a “dumb stone” as the prophet puts it. It is no more than a machine that has been programmed to emulate a human being, and it does not have... Continue Reading

We should not let the skepticism of our age rob us of properly lauding heroes from an earlier age. If we aren’t careful, we will find ourselves denying the supernatural altogether and wondering if God is too good to be true. In the end, the way to read martyr stories like those of Perpetua and... Continue Reading

Recognized (ordained) leaders—pastors, teachers, elders, deacons—set the pace in teaching the Word, discipling the immature, and extending mercy to those in need. And by setting the pace, leaders motivate, recruit, train, and deploy all the members of the body, each with his or her own gifting from God’s Spirit, to engage in ministries of speaking,... Continue Reading

Not too long ago no one was talking about ADD or ADHD, but now we have zillions of children being put on various drugs for what might or might not just be basic behavioural issues that most kids go through…The gist of the book is this: Loftus does not say we must either embrace pop... Continue Reading

The advocates of assisted suicide sell it to the public using stories of people suffering extreme physical pain. But the truth is far more complicated. As Michael Brendan Dougherty points out, according to “surveys of people who choose assisted dying, the majority are not in severe pain or suffering a present horror; they are fearful... Continue Reading

All Christians are called to garden work, and pastors are called to model it—to labor diligently like farmers as we cultivate the health of the saints under our care. (2 Tim. 2:6). Our churches are “God’s field” (1 Cor. 3:9). This simple truth should reorient the way all Christians view the church. Are you cultivating... Continue Reading

It takes a certain level of wisdom to see the pain as a means for joy. We must see the trials we endure as the means by which God shows us we are truly dependent on Christ. When all else is stripped away, all we have is Christ. What is our only comfort, or joy,... Continue Reading

We live in a world vandalized by the fall into sin.  Things are breaking down.  We’re breaking down.  Not just me, but all of us are terminal cases.  Right now, if everything is clear in your mind and God’s grace enables you, you can take hold of Christ and believe.  He holds on to you,... Continue Reading

The strength of a mother’s grief does not establish that her child had become her god. Weariness does not, by itself, reveal an idol of comfort. A person who longs for companionship may need the church to draw near. Sin can be present alongside suffering, but we must understand what we are addressing. Otherwise, we... Continue Reading

The pattern then is clear: we cease working, we gather and feast, we remember what God has done and all he has provided for us, and we give thanks with joy.     Thanksgiving is upon us. In this article, I want to explore a little slice of what the Bible says about gratitude, but... Continue Reading

Christ is the faithful Covenant Head who never abandons those under His care. Every other covenant derives its strength from Him, and every refuge finds its fulfillment in Him.     God has established various covenant relationships—family, church, and civil government—to provide both protection and accountability. That protection is both physical and moral. It guards... Continue Reading

The hard truth is that our kids will experience meanness, unfairness, loss, and uncertainty. This is often not just painful, but confusing. We want them to feel loved and accepted and cared for. But as caregivers, we must also ask ourselves, “Why?” Why do we want them to feel loved? It can’t just be to... Continue Reading

“We will praise God because His lovingkindness is better than life.” It is not hyperbole. This is literally true—that those who know God truly can say with all their hearts, “Yes, life is precious, but the lovingkindness of God is better.” Therefore our lips shall praise Him. We will not be silent.     “O... Continue Reading

I want to walk in the confidence of prayers heard. I want to push away fear with the reality of a prayer-hearing God. I want to evangelize and kill sin and read my Bible knowing that as I’ve prayed for God’s help in these areas, God will surely come to my aid. I want to... Continue Reading

There is a strange unspoken theory percolating that believes loud means courage and faithfulness. They must be doing a great work of God because they are always speaking up and out. They’re condemning the government and they use words like ‘woke’ and ‘weak’ to describe those Christians who aren’t joining in loud unison. But of... Continue Reading

So what is honor? It is more than affection or quiet, unquestioning, obedience. Honor means giving a person what is owed because of the place God has given him or her. Luther recognized that honor includes respect and deference. The Reformed catechisms also teach that parents owe their children instruction, protection, and care. The commandment... Continue Reading

Your wilderness may be a terminal diagnosis, heartache over a loved one, the long ache of singleness or childlessness, the loss that doesn’t seem to heal. But looking back over your life, what has truly drawn your heart closest to God? Has it been his miraculous rescues, or his daily, sustaining help?     How... Continue Reading

Many children might prefer not to attend such events. Many adults feel the same way. But maturity means learning to fulfill our duties toward others even when it costs us time, comfort, or convenience. This is one of the great lessons our modern world desperately lacks. We are constantly told to organize life around personal... Continue Reading

The attached liturgy is the fruit of my labors. It includes, in italics, theological remarks designed to justify the changes I have made in the original. It also includes the liturgy itself, amended and emended to reflect the Reformed theology that I believe is the pulsing heart our Protestant faith.       INTRODUCTION In August of... Continue Reading

These days can pass miserable and empty. We need satisfaction; we need it early, and we find it, if we find it, in his steadfast love. No matter what our days contain, if they are contained within his love, we can be glad all our days. So many turn their vessel toward what they think... Continue Reading