Why Joni Eareckson Tada Wants to Take Her Wheelchair to Heaven

Justin Taylor introdues a moving post from Joni, meditating on the meaning of suffering....

The love of God, flooding our hearts.... (Romans 5:5)

 “…the Holy Spirit’s ordinary method of witnessing to the blessings that are ours, and of sustaining in our hearts the knowledge of the love of God towards us, is not to have us wait for something to happen that is beyond our control. 

“The Spirit’s way of witnessing, rather, is to prompt us to the activity expressed in two simple words, ‘know’ and ‘think.’  Know what the Bible tells you about the love of God in Christ, and think of it constantly, and as you do so the love of God will be poured into your heart by the Holy Spirit, for it is by this means that the Holy Spirit produces the effect….

“…Thinking through what we know of God’s grace and mercy to us in Christ is an exercise of rejoicing in God, and it is the Spirit’s way of bringing the abundant assurance of the love of God into our hearts on a constant basis.” 

-- J.I. Packer, “Keep in Step with the Spirit” (rev.) pp. 214-215

Free Access to the Online ESV Student Study Bible

Justin Taylor's post explains.....

"The Glory of Plodding..."

Kevin DeYoung on the virtues of ordinary faithfulness in church life...

Fearing the loss of a penny?

“Now suppose both death and hell were utterly defeated.  Suppose the fight was fixed.  Suppose God took you on a crystal ball trip into your future and you saw with indubitable certainty that despite everything — your sin, your smallness, your stupidity — you could have free for the asking your whole crazy heart’s deepest desire: heaven, eternal joy.  Would you not return fearless and singing?  What can earth do to you, if you are guaranteed heaven?  To fear the worst earthly loss would be like a millionaire fearing the loss of a penny — less, a scratch on a penny.”

Peter Kreeft, Heaven (San Francisco, 1989), page 183.

Praise is Protest

Wise words about the fuller implications of worship as Carl Trueman reflects on 1 Timothy 1:17.

The Savior of sinners

“The gate of Mercy is opened, and over the door it is written, ‘This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.‘  Between that word ‘save’ and the next word ‘sinners,’ there is no adjective.  It does not say, ‘penitent sinners,’ ‘awakened sinners,’ ‘sensible sinners,’ ‘grieving sinners’ or ‘alarmed sinners.’  No, it only says, ‘sinners.’  And I know this, that when I come, I come to Christ today, for I feel it is as much a necessity of my life to come to the cross of Christ today as it was to come ten years ago—when I come to him, I dare not come as a conscious sinner or an awakened sinner, but I have to come still as a sinner with nothing in my hands.”

Charles Haddon Spurgeon, preaching on John 3:18, 17 February 1861.

HT:  Dane Ortlund

Packer's Sermon at the Memorial Service for John Stott

A moving, worthy message from Hebrews 13.

The Ministry of the Spirit in Revealing Christ

We know very little of Christ yet. We need the blessed Comforter to reveal to us more of the glory of his person, the beauty of his character, the suitability of his work, the love of his heart, the merit of his blood, the freeness of his grace, the depth of his pity, the tenderness of his sympathy, the dignity of his obedience, the perfection of his offices, and the inexhaustible nature of His divine fullness. 


I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation — so that you may know him better.—Ephesians 1:17

James Smith,  Christ Exalted

C.S. Lewis on the Devil

An online article from the Wall Street Journal.

John Stott: Evangelicalism at Its Best

A good article from Mark Galli of "Christianity Today."

The Strength that Comes from Knowing God

from C.H. Spurgeon:


"The people that do know their God shall be strong."—Daniel 11:32.


EVERY believer understands that to know God is the highest and best form of knowledge; and this spiritual knowledge is a source of strength to the Christian. It strengthens his faith. Believers are constantly spoken of in the Scriptures as being persons who are enlightened and taught of the Lord; they are said to "have an unction from the Holy One," and it is the Spirit's peculiar office to lead them into all truth, and all this for the increase and the fostering of their faith. Knowledge strengthens love, as well as faith. Knowledge opens the door, and then through that door we see our Saviour. Or, to use another similitude, knowledge paints the portrait of Jesus, and when we see that portrait then we love Him, we cannot love a Christ whom we do not know, at least, in some degree. If we know but little of the excellences of Jesus, what He has done for us, and what He is doing now, we cannot love Him much; but the more we know Him, the more we shall love Him. Knowledge also strengthens hope. How can we hope for a thing if we do not know of its existence? Hope may be the telescope, but till we receive instruction, our ignorance stands in the front of the glass, and we can see nothing whatever; knowledge removes the interposing object, and when we look through the bright optic glass we discern the glory to be revealed, and anticipate it with joyous confidence. Knowledge supplies us reasons for patience. How shall we have patience unless we know something of the sympathy of Christ, and understand the good which is to come out of the correction which our heavenly Father sends us? Nor is there one single grace of the Christian which, under God, will not be fostered and brought to perfection by holy knowledge. How important, then, is it that we should grow not only in grace, but in the "knowledge" of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

"A prayer about suicide by resentment"

...from Pastor Scotty Smith

On facing anxiety and worry....

More wise words from John Piper:  Let Jesus Argue with Your Soul About Being Anxious

Faith in human nature?

"It is the high-minded unbeliever, desperately trying in the teeth of repeated disillusions to retain his 'faith in human nature' who is really sad. … We actually are, at present, creatures whose character must be, in some respects, a horror to God, as it is, when we really see it, a horror to ourselves. This I believe to be a fact: and I notice that the holier a man is, the more fully he is aware of that fact."

-- C.S. Lewis, "The Problem of Pain"