Narrow

Narrow – “With each passing year, I see more clearly that suffering is actually God’s favor–a gift meant to prune and refine. Suffering is his finest chisel born from saving love, a painful instrument he wields judiciously.”

You Don’t Have to Choose between the Head and the Heart

You Don’t Have to Choose between the Head and the Heart – “The head or the heart? The mind or the emotions? The will or the affections? Often, we’re tempted to think of these as opposite ends of the spectrum—we can either be filled with information or be ‘filled with the Spirit’.”

The House of Mourning Is Good for the Soul

The House of Mourning Is Good for the Soul – “It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.” How can this be so?

Hope for the Slowly Sanctified

Hope for the Slowly Sanctified – “I should be further along than this by now.”

The Plumb Line

The Plumb Line – “Who is the person you compare yourself to most often? Perhaps it is a family member, friend, or co-worker; perhaps it is even a celebrity. We humans are comparison machines. We’re constantly evaluating the stimuli around us.”

8 Scriptural Personal Accountability Questions To Ask This Week

8 Scriptural Personal Accountability Questions To Ask This Week – “If this look in the mirror is painful, make it joyous by turning back to God right now.”

Working on the Inside, Not Only the Outside

Working on the Inside, Not Only the Outside – “Jesus is calling people to a consistently godly life here, not one that only looks acceptable on the outside. It is easier to look godly than to actually be godly. We must work on the kinds of things that others do not see, things like resisting temptation, cultivating prayer, and deepening in our understanding of God’s word.”

Not All Obedience Is Christian

Not All Obedience Is Christian – “We are working out what God is working in. And he is working at the level of our will — our desires, our affections, our choices. Fundamental to salvation is heart change, the transformation of our wills by God so that we will and work for his good pleasure.”

One Key Principle for Spiritual Growth… or Spiritual Destruction

One Key Principle for Spiritual Growth… or Spiritual Destruction – “There is one principle that actually applies to both – to spiritual growth and spiritual death: You are always, always, always growing an appetite.”

Redeeming Discipline: How Grace Reforms Our Effort

Redeeming Discipline: How Grace Reforms Our Effort – “Paul’s own discipline passed through the fires of grace, it emerged on the other side not consumed but refined — free from the dross of self-righteousness, aglow with the Spirit’s flame.”

Want to Grow as a Christian? Go Back to the Start.

Want to Grow as a Christian? Go Back to the Start. – “The Christian life isn’t about moving onward and upward from the cross. Instead, we should go back to the start.”

 

Struggling with the Struggle

Struggling with the Struggle – “Sanctification often hurts. We don’t have to hate ourselves for saying ouch. We do, after all, have a Savior who can identify with our weaknesses. He understands pain. He understands disappointment, heartache, and struggle. We can trust Him with this process, and we can trust Him with our feelings about this process.”

Want to Grow as a Christian? Go Back to the Start.

Want to Grow as a Christian? Go Back to the Start. – “Do you want to grow as a Christian? Know that Jesus stands before you every day in his gospel word. He’s calling you back to the start. Believe, confess, and repent. Return to the cross.”

How Unanswered Prayers Have Shaped My Faith

How Unanswered Prayers Have Shaped My Faith – God uses unanswered prayers in great ways in our lives.

The Spiritually Mature Don’t Take Themselves So Seriously

The Spiritually Mature Don’t Take Themselves So Seriously – “Perhaps 2023 will be the year when, by God’s grace and even for His glory, we stop taking ourselves so seriously.”

A Life-Giving Brain Cancer

A Life-Giving Brain Cancer – “I was diagnosed with a tumor in my brain … I’ve never been happier or felt more blessed than I do right now.” This is an excellent read.

 

Christians Stumble, but They Are Stumbling Forward

Christians Stumble, but They Are Stumbling Forward – “Christian, you will stumble today. So will I. And yet we can get up and continue on because of God’s grace. When we do, we will see slowly but surely God is doing something in us. He is making us more like Jesus. This is our trendline – to stumble, and yet to stumble forward.”

 

More Than Jumper Cable Christianity

More Than Jumper Cable Christianity – “Spiritual disciplines at a set time of day are a wonderful practice as long as it affects the rest of your days. Spiritual disciplines and habits are vital for growth in godliness. And the key word there is growth.” 

2 Errors When Thinking About God’s Work in our Lives

2 Errors When Thinking About God’s Work in our Lives – “God is at work in our lives. All the time. The question is not whether God is at work; it’s how aware we are of His work.”

How Do I Push Truth from My Head to My Heart?

How Do I Push Truth from My Head to My Heart? – “There’s a war to be fought here. There’s a delight to be struggled for here.”