Reading with the Pastor Mark 14-15 and Psalm 50 “And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Mark 14:26 (cf. also Matthew 26:30) Was Jesus a tenor or a baritone? One day we will know. But it is captivating to think of Jesus singing to me. The … More Was Jesus a Tenor or a Baritone?
My wife, because she loves me, gave me a book. The Pastor as Scholar & The Scholar as Pastor: Reflections on Life and Ministry, by John Piper & D.A. Carson (Crossway 2011). It is a short book with a long title and a powerful punch. Early in chapter one, Piper is commenting on the Philippians … More The Traps of the Heart
Tuesday is for Thinking There are some decisions that followers of Christ are free to make. Should I worship with that church body or this one? YOU DECIDE Should I read my Bible in the morning or the evening? YOU DECIDE Should I marry this person or not? YOU DECIDE, BUT ONLY “IN THE LORD” Should … More Some Decisions Followers of Christ Can’t Make
Reading with the Pastor Matthew 16 and Psalm 21 Psalm 21 is radical in its celebrations. The first half is focused on the glories of salvation and rescue (vss. 1-7) and second half turns and exposes God’s burning wrath on those who are His enemies (vss. 8-13). The first half is as encouraging as the … More “That They Might Bow”
Reading with the Pastor Matthew 9 and Psalm 14-15 A whole chapter of healings is what we read today in Matthew 9. Jesus healed . . . a paralytic—a man unable to move from place to place a ruler’s daughter—a girl unable to breathe and enjoy life a woman with a bloody discharge of 12 years standing—a … More Train Yourself to Do More than Read
This month our church is starting on an adventure of reading through the New Testament and the book of Psalms (twice) before the end of 2017. We are calling it, “Reading with the Pastor” and it is part of a larger plan related to our philosophy of ministry and discipleship and our desire to live … More Reading Through the New Testament
For a number of years, I have been reading early church history and looking for particular summaries of the gospel. One year I found this beautiful statement of who Jesus is and what He did in Christian History Magazine. May it draw your heart to Christ, as we move closer to Easter. [The image above … More A Church History Meditation for Holy Week
