A Reformed Church in Wasilla, Alaska
Devotional (Page 3)
Sunday worship The theme of my morning sermon last Sunday was peace, specifically the peace that Christ came to give us who live in a world filled with conflict and strife. We looked at Luke 2:8-14, especially the words of the song of the angels who appeared to the shepherds on the night Jesus was…
According to Scripture, there are two kinds of people in the world: the free and the enslaved. The categories are not physical but spiritual. The free are those who, by faith in Jesus Christ, are no longer under the dominion of sin, guilt, condemnation, and death. Jesus purchased an eternal redemption from this spiritual thralldom…
The Olympics were a treat to watch but I felt a little discomfort and even some sadness when in both the opening and closing ceremonies the speaker declared the hope that sports might bring unity to the world. I suppose the Olympic organizers feel the need to attribute some sort of transcendent meaning to the…
Embed from Getty Images Like much of the world, we’ve been watching the Olympics at home these past couple of weeks. One of the great appeals of the Olympics, and of any sports for that matter, is that we can vicariously exult in the triumphs of others. We Americans are spoiled in that, thanks to the truckloads…
I heard it said once that the Bible teaches there are actually two ways to obtain eternal life. The first is by faith in Jesus Christ. And the second is by perfect obedience to the law of God. So there are two paths to heaven – you can trust in Christ, or you can keep…
Last but certainly not least, the “P” in “TULIP” stands for the perseverance of the saints. Like all the doctrines of grace (or “Five Points of Calvinism”), this is no dry and abstract concept divorced from our lives as Christians. Rather, it is a promise of God that comforts and encourages our hearts. Nothing can put…
The Bible contains some teachings that are just plain hard to accept. As Christians, however, we must humble ourselves before God, acknowledge that his thoughts and ways are higher than our own (Isaiah 55:9), and seek to understand even the difficult teachings of Scripture. One such teaching is the doctrine of limited atonement (the “L”…
While the Bible’s teaching on unconditional election is extensive and unambiguous (Romans 9), the Scriptures also give plain testimony to the truth that people are responsible to repent, and to exercise faith in Christ, in order to be saved (Mark 1:15; Acts 17:30). And doing so is an act of human willing. However, we learn…
Cheer up. You’re a lot worse off than you think you are, but in Jesus you are far more loved than you could have ever imagined. Jack Miller There’s a “Good News Bible,” but I have yet to see a “Bad News Bible.” And that’s only right, since the Scriptures’ primary message is the gospel,…
Winston Churchill said of Russia: it is “a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.” After months of studying Daniel for the 14 sermons I preached from it, I find these words strikingly apposite to describe much of this book of prophecy. So many parts of Daniel are as opaque as they are fascinating:…