In all of the social media/blogging buzz on the grace of God, it is troubling to me that the second coming of Jesus has been largely absent from the discussion. According to Paul, anticipating Jesus' return was the goal of grace. Jesus' return will bring an end to all unrighteousness, therefore true grace motivates sober, self-controlled living before that day. And because His return is the culmination of all of our hope, grace also teaches us to eagerly anticipate that day:...
All blog posts in the category "Intimacy with God"
Topics on intimacy with God, the Song of Solomon, the knowledge of God.
Blog entry
The matchless words of Jesus
Posted on March 19, 2013
The four Gospels contain the beautiful and unrivaled record of the words of Jesus of Nazareth. For the Christian, those words in red on our Bible's pages are more than just moral precepts or proverbs to be studied and imitated - they are the very words of the God who formed the heavens and the earth. Those words are His precious, holy food for our famished souls. Those words are our only fountain of life everlasting (John 6:63,68). Those words can both bind up our wounds and afflict our self-centered hearts - all for the sake of love. No poet, philosopher, or...
Blog entry
The greatest New Year's resolution
Posted on January 26, 2013
We are a couple weeks into the new year and undoubtedly for many, the strong resolutions made in late 2012 are already turning into hopeful wishes for 2013. Whether it be the new workout routine, better time management, or healthier eating habits, our human zeal wanes without constant provocation and motivation from others. But even with incentive, our follow-through is often lacking the consistency we desire.
Yet among all of the resolutions we could possibly make for the new year, one will always rise above the rest because it has the guarantee of God's might...
Blog entry
Advent resources
Posted on November 28, 2012
Don't rob yourself of deep joy and anticipation by pondering Jesus' birth for only a few hours in church this entire Christmas season! Advent begins this coming Sunday, December 3rd! During the season of Advent, Christians all around the world will take time to intentionally focus on Jesus' first coming and anticipate His second. Noel Piper put it well: "For four weeks, it’s as if we’re re-enacting, remembering the thousands of years God’s people were anticipating and longing for the coming of God’s salvation, for Jesus."
In my...
Blog entry
Advent begins next Sunday!
Posted on November 24, 2012
As a young boy, I eagerly anticipated Thanksgiving evening's desserts and Christmas morning's presents. But as I've grown older I've begun to more deeply appreciate the "reason for the season", as the coined Christian phrase goes. And as I have studied the life of Christ these past couple of years a different anticipation has arisen in my heart around the holidays - an excitement of the season of Advent.
Advent is a term originally derived from Latin meaning "coming" or "arrival". During Advent, the church celebrates and contemplates Jesus' first coming and joyfully...
Blog entry
Fighting daily for joy
Posted on June 4, 2012
This morning as I was reading and praying with Jon Thurlow's 8am set in the prayer room, this tweet that John Piper posted last year came to mind:
Heaven is not a hall of mirrors where we like what we see, but the grand gift of self-forgetful joy in the glory of Christ.
In this present evil age, sin causes us to believe that life's greatest joys are found in being praised, affirmed, loved, and recognized. In our quest for lasting joy we work...
Blog entry
Eating a banana for the glory of God
Posted on May 14, 2012
In this age where sin has deeply rent the human heart from its created purpose to make much of God's glory, there are heightened moments our lives when the Holy Spirit engenders faith to believe in a restoration of that purpose. Several months ago I had one of those moments - not while in prayer, worship, or study, but simply standing in my kitchen eating a banana.
In order to explain I have to start sometime late last year when I listened to this teaching by Stephen Venable entitled ...
Blog entry
Passion Week Summary
Posted on April 10, 2012
During Passion Week last week, I tweeted a harmony of the chronology as recorded by the four gospels, based on The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah by Alfred Edersheim.
In the Twitter sphere where humanity gets wrapped up in movies, bashing political figures, debating social justice issues, and showing off what they ate for lunch today, I wanted to bring to remembrance perhaps the most neglected One on Twitter - God in the flesh Himself. The very real memories...
Blog entry
Passion Week on Twitter
Posted on April 1, 2012
For over 2000 years, Christian clergy, laymen, scholars, and poets alike have often reflected on Passion Week, the holy days leading up to the most precious moments of all of Jesus' years on the earth - the days of our Lord's death and resurrection.
Lent, Palm Sunday, and Easter Sunday are commonly known terms to many in and out of the church of Jesus, but the actual events of Passion Week are at best very fuzzy in the minds of many believers. Often more able to recall fine details of scenes while quoting myriads of lines from their favorite movies, many modern...
Blog entry
The pain of misunderstanding
Posted on March 6, 2012
Have your words or actions ever been misconstrued? Have you ever felt the pain of rejection from close friends or family? Though sin and the curse have made these things a common human experience, God Himself has felt the pain of misunderstanding.
Throughout Jesus' life and ministry, there were several groups of people who interacted frequently with Him:
- His own family (His mother Mary, His four brothers and His sisters) - Matthew 13:55-56
- The women who attended to Him and cared for His needs (Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna) - Luke 8:2-3
- ...
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