Show me Your ways, LORD, teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. (Psalm 25:4-5) We contine our study on this important subject, drawing on my notes from J. I. Packer’s message years ago in Philadelphia. I have expanded upon his …
Getting God’s Guidance (Part 1)
You are my rock and my fortress. Therefore, for Your name’s sake, lead me and guide me. (Psalm 31:3 NKJV) Many people ask about getting the Lord’s guidance on questions like: Who should I marry? Or shall I stay single? Which church should I join? Where should I live? What job shall I apply for? Should we have another child? …
Planning and Productive Paranoia (Part 1)
God is the Master Planner The Lord (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) maps out His eternal plans of creation, providence, and salvation and then He carries out those plans in His perfect way and timing. Scripture says: The plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations… I will instruct you and teach you …
Joy in Jesus: The God Who Hung on the Cross
Jesus said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected. And He must be killed and on the third day be raised to life….No one takes My life from Me, but I lay it down of My own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.” (Luke 9:22; John 10:18) …
Hope in Jesus Christ
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the Holy Spirit’s power….We wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself …
Think and Practice Whatever is Lovely and Loving
Jesus said: The Father Himself loves you because you have loved Me and have believed that I came from God….Think about and practice whatever is lovely, loving, amiable, attractive, beautiful, gracious, kind, peaceable, and winsome. (John 16:27; Philippians 4:8-9, my expanded paraphrase) An Example of Jesus-like Love Peter Miller (1710-1796) was a Baptist pastor in Ephrata, Pennsylvania during the American …
Three Uses of God’s Law
I desire to do your will, my God. Your law is within my heart….The unfaithful ones did not keep God’s covenant and refused to live by His law…..Blessed is the one You discipline, Lord, the one You teach from Your law….The Lord brought out His people with rejoicing, His chosen ones with shouts of joy…that they might keep His precepts …
Three Categories of God’s Law
Delight in the law of the Lord and meditate on it day and night and your ways will always be prosperous….All His laws are before me; I have not turned away from His decrees….The law of their God is in their hearts. Their feet do not slip….All His laws are before me. I have not turned away from His decrees. …
Helping One Another
Command Christians not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure …
Resist the Devil
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded….Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up. (James 4:7-10) Satan is God’s Defeated Foe William Gurnall (1616–1679) was an English pastor …