Wallpaper: Rock of Ages
“While I draw this fleeting breath,
When mine eyes shall close in death,
When I soar to worlds unknown,
See Thee on Thy judgment throne,
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.”
“Rock of Ages,” Augustus M. Toplady
Topics: Weekly Wallpaper
The Marks of God-Given Ministry, Part Two: Purpose and Pleasure
In Colossians 1:24–2:5, the apostle Paul invites the Colossian believers to examine the shape of his ministry, his goals, and the pleasures he takes from his labor. In the face of false teachers among them, he lays down a spiritual plumb line against which we may measure a ministry’s legitimacy as we ask, “Whom has God really sent to us?” In other words, who should become a pastor, what should their work look like, and what should they hope to accomplish through it?
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The Marks of God-Given Ministry, Part One: Calling, Message, and Method
In the first verse of Colossians 2, Paul writes to the church at Colossae, “I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you.” “Struggle” is an apt description of pastoral ministry. It captures the rigorous nature of this calling, and it will resonate with all whom God has set to the task.
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Wallpaper: Sends Trials
“God often sends us trials so that our graces may be discovered and that we may be convinced of their existence.”
—Charles Spurgeon
Topics: Weekly Wallpaper
The “Respectable” Sin of Slander
James 4:11 addresses one of the “respectable sins”1—that is, one of those behaviors that the Bible has so clearly condemned but that Christians by and large have learned to tolerate and sometimes even celebrate. We are prone to rage against what is wrong outside of our group while failing to pay attention to what is dreadfully wrong inside, turning a blind eye to our own sins because they are ours. Among these “respectable sins” is slander.
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Recommended Resources for Pastors
Truth For Life recommends the following assortment of books, series, and articles for pastors, church leaders, and others who teach the Bible. This carefully selected collection covers topics such as Christ-centered preaching, successfully leading a congregation, the dynamics of effective preaching, the importance of personal devotion to God, theological challenges, and family life.
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\nTopics: Monthly Resources
How Are We Saved? Read ‘The Beauty of Divine Grace’
Even if we’re believers, we might experience moments when we question, “Have I done enough?” or “Have I been good enough?” in order to feel secure in our salvation. The Beauty of Divine Grace challenges these insecurities and explores five essential truths about God’s role in salvation to help us grasp the depth of our total and complete reliance on God for eternal life.
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Wallpaper: Gifts from Him
“We need God to teach us that every day we have on earth is a gift from Him.”
—Alistair Begg
Topics: Weekly Wallpaper
Hymn: “My God Is So Big”
My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty!
There’s nothing my God cannot do!
The mountains are His, the rivers are His,
The stars are His handiwork too.
My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty!
There’s nothing my God cannot do!
Topics: Hymns and Worship
The Basics of Expository Preaching
When we consider examples of preaching in the Bible, many of us go immediately to the New Testament—and we’re not wrong to do so. It may surprise us, though, to discover that the Old Testament is replete with early examples of expository preaching. Consider this one from Nehemiah:
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