Jonathan Edwards explains how romantic love helps us understand Jesus' feelings towards the church (Miscellanies #189, spacing added):

We see how great love the human nature is capable of, not only to God but fellow creatures. How greatly are we inclined to the other sex! Nor doth an exalted and fervent love to God hinder this, but only refines and purifies it.

God has created the human nature to love fellow creatures, which he wisely has principally turned to the other sex; and the more exalted the nature is, the greater love of that kind that is laudable is it susceptive of; and the purer and better natured, the more is it inclined to it.

Christ has an human nature as well as we, and ha…

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In the sermon descriptively entitled,

“That Hearing and Keeping the Word of God Renders a Person More Blessed Than Any Other Privilege That Ever God Bestowed on Any of the Children of Men,”

Jonathan Edwards writes:

The hearing and keeping the word of God brings the happiness of a spiritual union and communion with God.

‘Tis a greater blessedness to have spiritual communion with God and to have a saving intercourse with him by the instances of his Spirit and by the exercise of true devotion than it is to converse with God externally, to see the visible representation and manifestations of his presence and glory, and to hear his voice with the bodily ears as Moses did. For in this spiri…

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The Bible is very clear about three things:

1. God's way is always the best way (Psalm 119:160).
2. God's way will not always seem the best way to you (Proverb 14:12).
3. What you plant, you will harvest (Galatians 6:7ff).

In every relationship, every day you harvest what you previously planted and plant what you will someday harvest. When division and acrimony take place in a relationship, we aren't experiencing mysterious difficulty. No, sadly, we're harvesting what we have sown. 

In this fallen world, where we are always sinners in relationship with sinners, one of the most beautiful and protective things God calls us to is forgiveness.  But forgiveness doesn't always look beautiful to us.  So…

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Imagine what Zechariah and Elizabeth talked about after their friends left the naming ceremony where Zechariah had miraculously regained his speech. What might he have learned in those silent months?

*          *          *

“So… are you going to tell me?”

Elizabeth was ready to burst. She had waited nearly a year to hear what had happened in the temple.

Zechariah was looking adoringly at baby John lying on his lap. “Women. They always need the details about everything!” Zechariah looked up playfully at his wife.

“The Lord has freed your tongue, Zechariah. It needs some exercise. Out with it!”

In some ways being mute for ten months had made it easier. How does one even describe su…

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Kenny Stokes made the following announcement before his sermon this weekend at Bethlehem:

As many of you know, earlier this year the elders granted Pastor John Piper a leave of absence from Bethlehem from May 1 through December 31. John will be returning to Bethlehem, as planned, the first week of January, but he and Noël will be in Georgia for New Year’s weekend (Jan 1-2) with her family. His first weekend back, God willing, in the Bethlehem pulpit will be January 8 & 9. Join us in praising God for his grace to the Pipers and to Bethlehem since May, and in praying with us for a strong finish to 2010, and a God-honoring start to 2011 as John is back with us.

If after watching "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" (which released in US theaters this weekend), you find yourself or your kids feeling drawn to Aslan with alarming emotion, don't assume it's just the result of some cinematic spell. Aslan had that effect even back when he was knowable only through words on a page.

A concerned mother once wrote C. S. Lewis on behalf of her son, Laurence, who, having read The Chronicles of Narnia, became concerned that he loved Aslan more than Jesus. In his response, Lewis offered this relief:

Laurence can't really love Aslan more than Jesus, even if he feels that's what he is doing. For the things he loves Aslan for doing or saying are simply the thing…

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There are some wonderful instances of ordinary Christians, not least the young, who are concerned to preach the whole gospel unabashedly and do good first to the household of God and then, as much as is possible, outside as well. That has got biblical mandate behind it. . . .

My warning would be to those who are coming along and talking a lot about, “I want to be faithful to the gospel, but I also want to do social justice and good works.” My warning would be: it is not just what you do, it is what you are excited about.

If I have learned anything in 35 or 40 years of teaching, it is that students don’t learn everything I teach them. What they learn is what I am excited about, the kinds of …

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Every Friday morning at Desiring God the staff gathers for an hour of devotion and prayer. This morning David Mathis led us in seeing how the Bible's God-centeredness relates to its Christ-exalting, gospel-centeredness. It was a good time of being together and hearing texts like Isaiah 48:9-11 and 2 Corinthians 4:4-6.

There we were, huddled together in the staff lounge, exulting in the crucified and risen Lord and dreaming of his name being proclaimed in all the nations. And then it occurred to me . . .

There are all kinds of meetings going on around the world. Governement leaders and rulers of nations meeting together, conspiring, grappling for strength and prominence. The kings of t…

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Proverbs 9:8-9,

Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you; reprove a wise man, and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.

Last year Josh Harris preached a helpful sermon from Proverbs 9 entitled "Lady Wisdom's Food and Drink." He included a simple illustration (on the right) that helps us think about what our response to correction indicates about ourselves.  

Listen to the sermon:

(HT: Josh Etter)

An ironically encouraging post by Sam Crabtree about the things you will never accomplish in life.