MINISTRY
What my Dad taught me about ministry (Dan Syvertsen at The Gospel Coalition) How do we measure success? Results are often the barometer of success in churches because they’re easier to measure. But God measures by faithfulness rather than results (Matt. 25:23). As I saw in my dad, he asks us to finish the race, not win it.
SPIRITUAL LIFE
Slow to chide, swift to bless: Vision for earthly fathers (David Mathis at Desiring God): Our God is merciful and gracious, and no pushover. He does indeed chide. When he does, however, observe the ratio with his blessing: he chides “to the third and the fourth generation” but blesses with “steadfast love for thousands.” And even then, because we’re sinners, his chiding is not at odds with his blessing, but a vital aspect of it.
Fact, feelings, and the faithfulness of God (Adam Mabry at The Gospel Coalition) At some point in our lives (more likely many points), we’ll experience a feeling about God’s presence that’s at variance with the facts. In moments of pain, trauma, or sadness, our hearts will accuse God of being distant even while our minds remind us God is ever present. The dissonance between facts and feelings, presence and absence—if left unaddressed—can be discouraging at best or destructive to our faith at worst. So what will you do when God seems gone?
Sleep beneath His promises: Learning to rest from the Psalms (Scott Hubbard at Desiring God): Our Lord “gives to his beloved sleep,” Solomon assures us (Psalm 127:2). But on nights such as these, we can hold the gift in helpless hands, wondering how to unwrap it.
To those who fear they aren’t radical enough (Lara D’entremont) Do you have an ordinary job where you saw wood? You’re glorifying God by providing for your family and providing wood for others so they can provide for their family. Well done. Do you write novels for others to enjoy after a long day of work? Well done—you point people to the greatest Storyteller. Do you stock supermarket shelves and run groceries on a conveyor belt? Well done!
PREACHING
Spotlight on preaching (Ken Davis at Thoughts from an Are Not): The best training method for young men who think that maybe God has called them to preach is not first to place them in the pulpit’s spotlight on a Sunday morning. It is not a seminar on how to exegete a text. It is to take them into the homes of your people and listen to the stories that come out of there. Take them to hospitals and seniors’ homes and escort them to police stations and courthouses where your people must be for whatever reason.
5 ways to prepare to hear preaching (Jimmy Davis at The Gospel Coalition): Cornelius displays the desire we ought to have as we wait on God’s Word to be delivered to us. We can prepare our hearts for preaching by cultivating five characteristics.
TRIALS / SUFFERING
He drew me through agony: My painful path to faith (Kathryn Butler at Desiring God): After I walked away from God, I had no claim to hope. I discerned no meaning, no glint of mercy lining the dark moments. I saw only the horror of life, the pervasive suffering. And in that darkness, God roused me to look to him.
BIBLE INSIGHT
5 misconceptions about heaven and hell (and 5 truths) (Jon Nielson at Crossway): Because there is so much confusion and incorrect teaching about both heaven and hell, we will start by digging into some of the most common false beliefs about both places. As always, we want to counter false ideas about these doctrines with the truth of the Bible. The most common misconceptions about heaven and hell have to do with their nature and purpose. There are many false ideas about what they will be like and what will happen there, but the word of God gives us clear pictures in both cases.
How to read the Prophets (Bryan Estelle at Ligonier): The Prophets are difficult to understand. In part, that is because God revealed Himself to them in dreams and visions. Only with Moses did God speak face to face (Num. 12:6–8). The Major Prophets include Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. The Minor Prophets include Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. Here are several tips that will help you read and understand the Prophetic Books.
Should we curse our enemies? (Russell Meeks at The Gospel Coalition): Praying for justice, then, is rooted in Scripture, where we see three ways God demonstrates his justice. First, the Lord invites the weak and vulnerable to bring their complaints to him. Second, he’s proven he will judge evildoers. Third, he gloriously offers justice poured out at the cross for our salvation.