Martyn Lloyd-Jones writes to preachers:

Above all — and this I regard as most important of all — always respond to every impulse to pray. The impulse to pray may come when you are reading or when you are battling with the text. I would make an absolute law of this — always obey such impulse.

Where does it come from? It is the work of the Holy Spirit; it is a part of the meaning of, 'Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure' (Philippians 2:12–13).

This often leads to some of the most remarkable experiences in the life of the minister. So never resist, never postpone it, never push it aside because you …

Continue Reading →

How much historical background must a pastor know in order to preach the Bible with authority?

In this video, D. A. Carson and John Piper discuss the role of extrabiblical sources in biblical interpretation:

Watch the video at The Gospel Coalition.

________

Other videos from The Gospel Coalition —

• How to Teach the Bible with Confidence
• Humility and Conviction in Biblical Authority
• Piper Talks with Carson and Keller About Succession

Three minute video with Jeff Vanderstelt:

Jeff Vanderstelt, Ed Stetzer and Dave Harvey will be speaking on church planting at our upcoming National Conference, "Finish the Mission: For the Joy of All Peoples."

Friendly reminder that if you are planning on attending the conference to register before July 29 for the early-bird rate of $145 per person (save $40).

________

A few weeks ago, when the Los Angeles Dodgers were visiting the Minnesota Twins, Dodger pitcher Blake Hawksworth stopped by the Desiring God office.

Blake has gone through some injuries during his baseball career, most notably being struck by a line drive last September. In this video, he shares about how God has used these setbacks in his life:

Watch, listen, or download God's Grace Through Injuries.

In this video, D. A. Carson, Tim Keller, and John Piper discuss the importance of moving beyond talk about biblical interpretation to actually interpreting the Bible:

Watch the video at The Gospel Coalition.

________

Other videos from The Gospel Coalition —

• Humility and Conviction in Biblical Authority
• Piper Talks with Carson and Keller About Succession
• Piper on "What Is the Gospel?"

Pastor John lists nine privileges of Israel that Paul describes in Romans 9:4-5, followed by three implications of what they mean for us now:

Nine Privileges

1. They are Israelites
2. and to them belong the adoption
3. the glory
4. the covenants
5. the giving of the law
6. the worship
7. To them belong the patriarchs
8. and the promises
9. and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.

Three Implications

1. These privileges belong fully and savingly to an elect remnant of Israel now.
2. These privileges will belong fully and savingly to all ethnic Israel at some future time.
3. These privileges belong to all Gentiles who trust Christ and are grafted into the t…

Continue Reading →

St. Augustine prays:

My love of you, O Lord, is not some vague feeling: it is positive and certain. Your word struck into my heart and from that moment I loved you. Besides this, all about me, heaven and earth and all that they contain proclaim that I should love you, and their message never ceases to sound in the ears of all mankind, so that there is no excuse for any not to love you. But, more than all this, you will show pity on those whom you pity; you will show mercy where you are merciful; for if it were not for your mercy, heaven and earth would cry your praises to deaf ears.

Confessions, trans. R. S. Pine-Coffin, (New York: Penguin, 1961), X.6, 211.

________

Recent posts …

Continue Reading →

Pastor John from 1985:

Just as God delights in his own glory by pouring it out in mercy for others to enjoy, so the chief end of man is not merely "to glorify God and enjoy him forever." Rather, this chief end is to double his joy in God by seeing it expanded and deepened as he pours it out in mercy for others to enjoy. Commenting on the Westminster Shorter Catechism ("The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.") [Dan] Fuller says,

This is not quite accurate, for it sets forth only man's penultimate, not ultimate, end. Great indeed will be our joy as we enter into the marvelous fellowship that exists between the Father and the Son. But that great joy will be greatly en…

Continue Reading →

In this video, John Piper, Tim Keller, and D. A. Carson discuss uncertainty, humility, and conviction as they relate to our use of the Bible.

Watch the video at The Gospel Coalition.

See Pastor John's recent post, The Authority of Preaching for Readers and Non-Readers.

________

Other videos from The Gospel Coalition —

• Piper Talks with Carson and Keller About Succession
• Piper on "What Is the Gospel?"

John Owen writes:

Men profess to know the truth; but they know it not in its proper order, in its harmony in use. It leads them not to Christ, and brings not Christ unto them; and so is lifeless and useless. Hence, oft-times, none are more estranged from the life of God than such as have much notional knowledge of the doctrines of Scripture. For they are all of them useless, and subject to be abused, if they are not improved to form Christ in the soul, and transform the whole person into his likeness and image.

This they will not affect where their relation to him is not understood—where they are not received and learned as a revelation of him, with the mystery of the will and wisdom of G…

Continue Reading →