“God is the One who gives gifts, and God is also the One who gives the ability to enjoy gifts…If we neglect God in our pursuit of joy, everything good in life—for example, possessions and pleasures—slips through our grasp. But if we give ‘thanks to God the Father’ through Jesus Christ (Col. 3:17; 1 Tim. 4:4-5) for every good gift, then whatever we receive from him—practical wisdom, daily bread, red table wine, our lifetime of labors, and so on—is seen…
In his classic book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, author C.S. Lewis provides us with the following memorable scene when one of the children asks Mr. and Mrs. Beaver about Aslan in anticipation of meeting him. “Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion” Susan asked. “That you will, dearie, and make no mistake,” said Mrs. Beaver. “If there is anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they’re either braver than…
“In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:6. “Take one step at a time, every step under Divine warrant and direction. Ever plan for yourself in simple dependence on God. It is nothing less than self-idolatry to conceive that we can carry on even ordinary matters of the day without his counsel. He loves to be consulted. Therefore take all thy difficulties to be resolved by him. Consider no circumstances too clear to…
Some years ago, Christian History Magazine devoted an entire issue to Charles Spurgeon. An opening feature was titled, “Did you know? A collection of true and unusual facts about Charles Haddon Spurgeon.” Among the many facts—all of them true, all of them interesting—about C. H. Spurgeon, two of the most fascinating are stories of conversions that came about through Spurgeon’s influence, but under very unlikely circumstances. Eric W. Hayden reports: “One woman was converted through reading a single page of one of Spurgeon’s sermons wrapped around…
This week marks one year since the passing of my dear friend Jerry Bridges. I miss my friend! Every time I reread his work (which is often!), I’m grateful to God for Jerry’s friendship and the profound ways he taught me to preach the gospel to myself every day. Last year, I posted an interview with Jerry Bridges, in which Jerry’s humor, wisdom, and godliness are all on full display. I also wrote a post, Remembering Jerry Bridges, to honor the memory…