Au Sable River in Lower Michigan
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
– Psalm 19:1
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
– Romans 1:20
Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:
Do People Bark? – John Starke (Gospel Coalition)
Christians base the dignity of a “person” on the imago Dei. Created in the image of God, humans have been given status and dignity above all other creatures in this world. We’ve been given the ability to make sense of the world and make something of it.
A Friend of Sinners and No Friend of Sin – Kevin DeYoung
The gospel–if we are talking about the true gospel–works through repentance and relationships. We need both. Jesus had relationships with sinners and tax collectors. And through those relationships what did he call them to do? He didn’t say call them to self-expression, or invite them to despise religious people, or summon them to eat, drink, and be merry (in our language: eat, drink, and be tolerant). He called them to repentance. One commentator says, “Jesus neither condoned sin, left people in their sin, nor communicated any disdain for sinners.”
The Loving Intolerance of God – Melissa Kruger (Gospel Coalition)
The cross demonstrates God’s character in all its complexity. It shows his love, kindness, and mercy united with his justice, holiness, and wrath. It perfectly demonstrates a God who surpasses understanding. The Lord is giving us a glimpse into the immensity of his love for us. The love of God is not a tolerant love. It is much better. It is a redemptive love.
What Makes A Full Atonement Full? – Mike Wittmer (Gospel Coalition)
The cross isn’t an act of love without penal substitution, because love is only love if it does something. If the cross isn’t necessary for God to forgive us, then what would be the point? If the cross is merely God expressing his solidarity with sinners, then why didn’t he simply use his outdoor voice and say, “Attention, people of Earth! I love you and I’m on your side!” The Father was silent when his Son begged for any other way, which proves that God believes the cross was necessary to defeat sin, death, and Satan.
Light Eternal, Shine in My Heart – Alcuin of York, 735-804 A.D. (via Trevin Wax)
Give me, O Lord, I ask You, firm faith, unwavering hope, perfect charity…
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day celebrating our great God and Savior!
Who am I? This is a huge question in our world. And many people are looking for the answer in all the wrong places. Who am I? The Bible has a lot to say about who we are. And the answer begins in creation: I am a creature.
I am a creature made by God. “So God created man” (Genesis 1:27). God made us. He is the Creator; we are the created – the creatures. There is an infinite difference between God and us. He is God; we are not. What’s more, we were formed from the dust of the ground (Genesis 2:7). We are living walking dirt.
And we are dependent dirt. He made us – our very existence depends on God. We depend upon God for food – we have food only because God created a world for us to live in that has food. We depend upon him for our abilities – he made us with mouths, eyes, ears, hands, and feet able to do numerous things. We are creatures made by God and dependent upon God.
My identity as a creature made by God and dependent on God calls for a response of humility. The cocky “look at me” attitude so common in our world is completely out of place – and downright foolish. What are we saying? Look at me – one big pile of dirt! I am dust boy. I am dust girl. Not very impressive. Not much to look at. We need humility.
And as a creature, I am not God. The world doesn’t revolve around me. God is not at my beck and call to answer my every whim. The people around me are not my personal slaves. Things don’t have to go my way. I need humility.
I am a creature made by God and dependent upon God – and my identity calls for humility.
As long as we think we are writing our own story, we will keep adding adventures or characters, thinking that more is the pathway to meaning and happiness. Here’s the problem: we just don’t have enough resources to get the meaning we crave. So a federal judge may overturn Michigan’s state constitution defining marriage as between a man and a woman. Maybe it is time to think about so called same-sex marriage some more:
The Case for Marriage – Brief video by Iona Institute (via Kevin DeYoung)
The New Purpose of Marriage – Collin Hansen (Gospel Coalition)
Three More Thoughts on the Gay Marriage Debate – Kevin DeYoung
The Myth of a Grand Bargain on Marriage – Robert George (via Kevin DeYoung)
Here are some good posts on preaching:
The Preacher at His Best – Kevin DeYoung
The best preacher is the preacher who is at his best when he is closest to the text.
John Stott’s 8 Keys to Preaching with Authority – Nicholas McDonald
5 Types of Sermon Illustrations and How to Use Them – Eric McKiddie (Gospel Coalition)
My family and church have been packing boxes for a few years now. My family goes to the stores together, and each of our children packs a box for a child their own age. It makes for a great family outing and is a great way to get children involved in giving. And of course, it can be a huge blessing to the child who receives the box – and even provides an opportunity for the child to learn about Jesus. Great family or church project!
Sturgeon River in Baraga County in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
– Psalm 19:1
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature,
have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,
in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
– Romans 1:20
Here are some good posts for your weekend reading:
Temptation Is Not the Same as Sin – Kevin DeYoung
20 Tips for Devotions in the Digital Age – David Murray
The Practice of Meditation – Tim Challies
Thank You, Lord – Charles Swindoll (via Trevin Wax)
Hope you have a great Lord’s Day!
Brian J. Mikul 