When Suffering is the Megaphone and God is the Whisper
A helpful reminder from Mike Leake that God is faithful to his promises, even when in the midst of our great pain we can’t hear his voice, let alone respond believingly to his promises.
Complaining Never Wins the Culture
In light of recent events – from Trump winning the election to that gay moment in the upcoming Beauty and the Beast movie – I’ve come to see more clearly that Christians tend to be defined more for what they complain about. I’ve read Trevin Wax’s blog for years, and he’s certainly come (for me) to be a trusted cultural interpreter.
BONUS: J.D. Greear weights in along similar lines, and Nathan Campbell also adds value for the church.
The Kerfuffle around ‘The Benedict Option’
A thoughtful review of Rod Dreher’s much-discussed ‘The Benedict Option.’ I’ve seen this pop up and read the flurry of discussions around it (mostly) from people who haven’t read it and want to tell you why it should be avoided. After reading Don Carson’s comments I’ll be grabbing a copy (plus I’ve already had a few requests for review). Watch this space, but I’d encourage checking it out.
Reclaiming Your Eyes from Pornography
Far from this being a post addressed to men, this is a temptation that has affected everyone at one point or another. Most people realise that this is the kind of sin that can’t be overcome simply by the power of will. Only in replacing a lesser desire with a greater desire will lasting victory come.
Suffering is a Doorway, Not a Dead End
This last week I’ve seen some horrendous suffering. Loved ones dying. People receiving news of terminal cancer. We live in a broken world and suffering is only a question of when. But in the midst of pain and loss, we know that God has designed the church to be a people who are not only marked by suffering but who demonstrate true community; that’s one of the reasons we have all those ‘one another’ commands in the New Testament. I’ve been acutely reminded this week of the importance of having a solid theology around suffering and the sovereignty of God. Walking with God through the deepest possible pain isn’t something that just happens, and we need to know how.
“The true gospel message ransacks the soul
and carries off every spoil. It leaves the heart with nothing so that Christ might enter in as everything. It is not wrong to preach a gospel that takes everything away from a person yet leaves them with Christ alone.”
– Paul Washer, The Gospel Call & True Conversion.
