Out of any nation on earth, the US has the highest rate of children in single-parent households, 80% of which are missing the father. [1] Over 18 million children in the US do not have a dad at home with them. [2] That’s a significant problem that has an immeasurably negative effect on children. Listen to these sad US statistics from the America First Policy Institute: [3] 63% of youth suicides are from fatherless homes. 85% of children who exhibit behavior disorders are from...
I know from personal experience that it’s much easier to complain and whine than it is to talk to leaders about concerns and problems. I can complain and whine with the best of sinners. And when it comes to church leadership, it’s often easier to avoid confrontation than to have open and honest conversation with those over you in the Lord (1 Thess. 5:12-13). Sadly, it’s easier to sin than it is to do what’s right. We need Psalm 112:1 which says, “Blessed is the man who fears...
Thomas Jefferson once wrote to his friend Benjamin Rush, “I am a Christian, in the only sense he [Jesus] wished any one to be; sincerely attached to his doctrines, in preference to all others; ascribing to himself every human excellence; and believing he never claimed any other.” Was Jefferson’s claim to be a Christian trustworthy? Jefferson highly esteemed the ethics of Jesus Christ, and yet he didn’t believe Jesus Christ was God. How should we think about someone’s confession of...
Well, here we are again. The world has mocked the one true living God again. This past Friday, France commenced the Olympic Games with a wild opening ceremony. My family didn’t see it; we were in Philadelphia watching the Phillies play disappointing baseball. One feature of the ceremony caused no small uproar: an immodest transgender and drag queen spectacle that strikingly resembled Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” painting. Was this scene offensive? Yes. Anytime anything is flaunted and...
In his excellent book With Heart and Mouth, Daniel Hyde writes: “When we allow soloists into worship, it is a performance, no matter how well intentioned or biblical the words are. Worship is to be an offering of the people’s praise to the Lord, not the individual’s.” [1] [1] Daniel Hyde, With Heart and Mouth: An Exposition of the Belgic Confession (Grandville: Reformed Fellowship, Inc., 2008), 431.
Each day our gracious Lord bestows upon us countless blessings, and we tend to either miss them entirely, as in we enjoy them without even thinking about enjoying them, or to enjoy them without thinking about the Lord who gives them, as in we’re not consciously thankful to God for them. We don’t give much thought to our heartbeat throughout the day. It works, and we don’t really think about it. Similarly, it’s easy to experience and enjoy many things throughout the day without giving...
What gives you confidence in life? What comforts your heart in life? It’s quite common for people to draw their confidence from what they do or accomplish or produce. Do you ever do that? People often work very hard, achieve success, and then feel confident about themselves based on the level of success they’ve achieved. Their confidence and comfort are tied to their attainments. I struggle with this. Think about it. Don’t you feel like life is more fulfilling and brighter when...
Along with the Apostles’, Nicene, Athanasian, and Chalcedonian Creeds, Belgic Confession Article Eight is insightful commentary on the Trinity. We need a clear doctrine of God today, a clear doctrine of the Trinity. Why? Well, in order to rightly know God, love God, and praise and glorify God. We won’t get very far in knowing, loving, praising, and glorifying God if we have idolatrous and errant conceptions of Him. Throughout history, there have been soul-condemning heresies like...
Dear brothers, sometimes leading God’s covenant people is very difficult. Sometimes, doing the right thing makes people mad, even when you are trying to love, serve, and care for them well. Dr. Douglas Stuart offered this helpful leadership quote in his commentary on Exodus. He was addressing Exodus 2 and Moses confronting the Hebrew who was beating his fellow Hebrew. “This is in the nature of leadership: the best attempts to help are sometimes faulty in themselves, yet even when...
“A smiling world is worse than a frowning one. She saith, ‘I cannot smite the man low with my repeated blows, I will take off my mailed glove, and showing him a fair white hand, I’ll bid him kiss it. I will tell him I love him: I will flatter him, I will speak good words to him.’ John Bunyan well describes this Madam Bubble: she has a winning way with her; she drops a smile at the end of each of her sentences; she talks much of fair things, and tries to win and woo. Oh...
