I learned some things this year. By “learned” I don’t mean nailed down and boxed up, as though a twenty-seven year-old could learn wisdom with finality. I mean that I saw and experienced and observed these things as meaningful in one way or another. Some were fresh lessons, though most were simply the natural ripening of wisdom through … More Some Things I Learned in 2008
Satan is the great accuser of the saints. Jesus is the great defender of the saints. They are in heaven waging a relentless courtroom battle for our souls. On one side stands Satan as “the accuser of our brothers… who accuses them day and night before our God” (Revelation 12:10). On the other side stands … More Satan and Jesus in God’s Courtroom
The apostle Peter was not shy theologically. In 1 Peter 1:3-5, writing to intensely suffering Christians, he paints an enviable picture of the invincibility of our inheritance in Christ. He describes our inheritance in a multitude of ways in these three verses, but there is one particular string that stands out for its staccato structure of phrases describing the … More Our Invincible Inheritance
At 4:04pm I received an email from The Master’s Seminary announcing that Mildred Rosscup went home to be with the Lord today (or whatever “today” means when you’re with the Lord). Mildred was the precious wife of half-retired Bible Exposition Professor Jim Rosscup. She suffered greatly throughout her latter years, and Dr. Rosscup cared for … More Men at Best: Thoughts on the Death of Mildred Rosscup
I have loved, led, and served the Oak Manor & Cornerstone dormitory at The Master’s College for the past four years. Living and ministering at the OMC has been a highlight of our lives and an experience we will always cherish. Tonight at 10:30pm I broke the news to my guys that all OMC students … More Remembering the OMC
I didn’t have it in me tonight (time, topic, or motivation) to write any kind of extended reflection, but I wanted to post at least something. I realize that this is a dangerous combination. But here are a number of quite disconnected thoughts either from various recent experiences or that simply jumped to mind as I … More Some Thoughts
Usually our battles against pride are individual battles, because we know our own hearts (hopefully) and we know how much we need to fight. But in the last several years I’ve grown increasingly nauseated by some of the institutional, corporate, community pride that seems to thrive in some Christian circles. Relentless criticism of other organizations, … More Institutional Pride: Thoughts on Corporate Arrogance
Most Christians are familiar with the powerful Pauline phrase, “you were bought with a price.” It renders a hammer-blow to our constant notions of personal rights and privileges and reminds us quite forcefully that we belong to Christ and not to ourselves. You were bought with a price, and this purchase has implications. In 1 … More Bought with a Price
As I mentioned in the previous post, D. A. Carson spoke three times at the recent Bethlehem Conference for Pastors. The theme was “The Pastor as Father and Son.” Carson is a masterful biblical theologian and acute exegete with a keen grasp on virtually every subject that surrounds theology. And he speaks with the heart and practicality of a pastor. Here … More 2008 Bethlehem Conference for Pastors: D. A. Carson
The beginning of the spring semester always brings formal personal evaluations among the people I serve with. “Formal” not in the sense that the conversations are cold and businesslike — they’re actually warm and friendly — but “formal” in the sense that we have set forms of questions that we answer as we reflect on the fall and … More Thoughts on Being Corrected
I just finished my 2008 Winterim class on the letter of James taught by Douglas Moo of Wheaton Graduate School. Although the class was very good, I won’t be doing an extended series on the class like I did last year. But I thought it would be appropriate to celebrate the one-year anniversary of last year’s Winterim by … More Wit and Wisdom from John Hannah (16)
Tonight I read the second chapter of John Piper’s The Hidden Smile of God entitled “Insanity and Spiritual Songs in the Life of William Cowper.” There are some precious quotes from the chapter, some on poetry because Cowper and Piper are poets, some on despair because Cowper’s was chronic, and some on John Newton because he was … More Precious Lessons from John Piper, William Cowper, and John Newton
Sometimes you get tired of doing small things, seeing little fruit, and working hard in obscurity. Sometimes it’s just hard to be faithful. And sometimes God gives striking reminders of why we shouldn’t give up. In the December 2007 DesiringGod newsletter, Executive Director Jon Bloom tells the moving story of Olive and Arnie Nelson. Olive and … More Keep Doing the Small Things: “You Never Know What God Is Growing”
Sometimes you read a book or a portion of a book that penetrates the heart and reminds you of how wonderfully sharp the truth really is. I just finished reading one. I wouldn’t recommend buying it, partially because it’s out of print and extremely expensive and partially because it belongs to a specialized field. But for me and … More Wisdom from James, Richard Bauckham, and Soren Kierkegaard
Several weeks ago Southern California was all over the national news as wildfires swept through the area, driven by the relentless Santa Ana winds. More than 1,000,000 people were forced to evacuate and thousands of buildings and homes were damaged or destroyed. One TMC employee lost his home and everything in it. Here’s something he … More Knick-Knacks, Wildfires, Need, and Eternity
Raw Christianity was born one year ago today. There’s a lot I’d like to say about the title and purpose of the blog and the range and power of the phrase “Raw Christianity.” But words have been failing lately. So I’ll say it with some words from a year ago. Everything below is still an aim and not … More Raw Christianity: One Year Later
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