On Seeing Jesus
“Sirs, we would see Jesus” – John 12:21 The chapel on the campus of Reformed Theological Seminary is the first things a visitor will notice. For good reason, too. It’s magnificent. Colonial style, pretty wooden pews, red carpets, the whole deal. Most notable, however, is the pulpit. It’s obnoxiously elevated. Imagine our own sanctuary about […]
A Full and Bright Celebration
“My Soul Magnifies the Lord” – Luke 1:46 My family and I recently went down to San Diego and visited my childhood home. There’s always something about going home, isn’t there? Memories, good and bad. All the sights and sounds bring it all back. For me, those were sweet days. The nice people who […]
Abide With Me!
For reasons unknown to me, I’ve had the great hymn Abide With Me on my mind all week. If you don’t know it, you ought to. It’s majestic and moving. Consider the last line: “Hold thou thy Cross before my closing eyes; Shine through the gloom, and point me to the skies! Heaven’s morning breaks […]
The God of Peace
“ Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be […]
The Confluence of Faithfulness and Availability
“Dwell in the Land and Cultivate Righteousness!” “Alright, boys…I want you to go out there and be as regular and as ordinary as you can be!” You ever hear of a coach say such a thing? Of course not. No parent tells his child to be regular, any more than a politician tells his constituents […]
Seeing Life Through an Eternal Perspective
“The Lord is in His holy temple; the Lord’s throne is in heaven.” I grew up in Southern California, where the sun was always shining and if it was over 3 years old, your car was ancient. But I wasn’t into cars. Or even the beach, for that matter. No, I was into motorcycles. Dirt […]
A Sense of Urgency and Steadafastness
“As soon as I heard these words I sat down and wept and mourned for days, and I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven” Imagine being away from your church for a while. Suppose you’ve been transferred by work to another city or state. It’s a church you love dearly and want […]
Lord, Glorify Yourself Through Me
“Father, the hour has come: glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, since you have given Him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have given to Him.” John 17:1-2 The Gospel of John, known sometimes simply as The Fourth Gospel, is different from the other three. John […]
Make Room in Your Hearts
Make room in your hearts for us. Have you ever had a person in your life that you know is hurting, but it’s hard for you to feel compassion toward them? Maybe someone who is a little harder for you to love than someone else is? Amazing, isn’t it, how God frequently puts those very […]
Then I Went Into the Sanctuary of God
“Then I called on the Name of the Lord.” Psalm 116:4 My brethren, I love Psalm 116 because I can’t miss seeing myself in the Psalmist’s experience. He is struggling. The things of this world appear to have overcome him. He says, in verse 3, “The snares of death encompassed me, the pangs of Sheol […]