I have for some time enjoyed the poetry of George Herbert. While reading Tim Keller’s recent book on prayer I came across Herbert’s poem, “Prayer (I),” which Keller deals with in some detail. The poem describes prayer with a series of compelling images which are worth pondering. Prayer the church’s banquet, angel’s age, God’s …
Men are trained and prepared for secular contests, and they account it a great mark of honour, if they happen to be crowned in the sight of the people and the presence of the emperor. Behold a sublime and mighty contest, glorious with the prize of a heavenly crown, in which God beholds us contending …
As we move into a new year, resolve to go deep with God, to press in and know God, not just to know of or hear about God or even to talk about others’ experience of God. Rather engage Him yourself by hearing Him in His word, talking to Him in prayer and meeting Him …
Each year I keep a list of the books I read all the way through, typically with brief notes, as a way of tracking my thoughts and a way to look back on each year and see some of what influenced me. So, in this post I have drawn from that list some of the …
Each year I survey the new works of Bible reference (commentaries, etc.) for Preaching Magazine. Though I have mentioned it previously, with the end of year lists, it seemed a good time to post a link to this year’s article. The article runs from summer to summer so Fall 2013 to Summer 2014 is represented …
Continue reading ‘Best New Bible Reference Works in the Last Year’ »
Merry Christmas from the Van Nestes! Here is a new favorite of my family’s after singing it at our church’s Christmas Eve service last night. It is a marvelous hymn, theologically rich and lyrically beautiful, written by Justin Wainscott. You can read Justin’s discussion of the hymn here. It can be sung to the tune …
In The Divine Comedy, Dante gives scathing rebukes to the corrupt church leaders of his day. In many ways he seems to foreshadow Luther. In the following excerpt from Paradise Dante’s critique of preaching which relies on man-made ideas rather than the Word of God is relevant to us today. You mortals do not keep …
Conduct Gospel-Centered Funerals: Applying the Gospel at the Unique Challenges of Death, by Brian Croft & Phil Newton is a very helpful, practical little book on ministering well in the significant setting of a funeral. It would be hard to overestimate the importance of such a time in the life of anyone and the significance …
Let us then continually persevere in our hope, and the earnest of our righteousness, which is Jesus Christ, “who bore our sins in His own body on the tree,” “who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth,” but endured all things for us, that we might live in Him. Let us then …
Continue reading ‘“If we suffer for His name’s sake, let us glorify Him”- Polycarp’ »