Is it Satan or God?

I was driving to work this morning and happened upon a Christian radio station where a preacher (I’m unsure who) was expositing a passage of Scripture.[1] Unlike so many radio preachers who play fast and loose with God’s word, this preacher was carefully unpacking the passage and making relevant applications. As the preacher moved toward … Continue reading Is it Satan or God?

An Easy Way to Memorize the Beatitudes

Not long ago, I helped a group of young adults memorize the famous verses below using hand motions. Perhaps you can do the same. (Adapt to whichever translation you normally use. We used ESV for this memorization project.) 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Flat hand patting down on … Continue reading An Easy Way to Memorize the Beatitudes

How Can I Increase My Love for God’s Word?

How can I grow to love God’s Word more than I currently do? One night recently, I had trouble falling asleep. So I got up and spent three hours in Psalm 119. I addressed a single question to this amazing psalm: What can I do to increase my love for God’s Word? Why Psalm 119? … Continue reading How Can I Increase My Love for God’s Word?

A Heart Aflame for God: An Interview with Matthew Bingham

I recently read a deep and thoughtful book on Christian living entitled A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation. I reached out to the author, Matthew Bingham, to see if he would be willing to do an interview about his book. I’m delighted that he agreed! Ken Berding (KB): First, can … Continue reading A Heart Aflame for God: An Interview with Matthew Bingham

Some Things Shouldn’t Even Be Talked About (Ephesians 5:3,12)

Did you know that the Bible tells us that there are certain things we shouldn’t even talk about? The apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 5: “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints” (5:3). Nine verses later, Paul adds: “For it is shameful … Continue reading Some Things Shouldn’t Even Be Talked About (Ephesians 5:3,12)

Whether-by-Life-or-Death Prayers

In Philippians 1:19, Paul writes, “for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance.” New Testament scholars disagree about what Paul is affirming. A proper understanding of this verse can help us increase our confidence in prayer. Option 1: Physical Deliverance. … Continue reading Whether-by-Life-or-Death Prayers

A Thousand Years is Like a Day: A Thought Experiment

Here’s a thought experiment. Suppose that we were to take the statements in Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 about a thousand years being like a day literally (which are probably not literal in their literary settings). Then let’s assume that the difference is not just how God sees time, but also represents the difference … Continue reading A Thousand Years is Like a Day: A Thought Experiment

How Wrestling with Hard Bible Passages Expands our View of God

My thoughts wandered this morning on my prayer walk.[1] I kept bringing my mind back to prayer, but my mind was wandering from my very first steps. I decided to use the Lord’s Prayer to guide me—I sometimes do this when I’m struggling with mind-wandering—but I still had trouble concentrating on prayer. (By the way, … Continue reading How Wrestling with Hard Bible Passages Expands our View of God

Wait Training

God trains us through waiting. On the day I started writing this post, I was waiting for God to answer a prayer. You see, Trudi and I have been leading up a residential discipleship community of Christian college students (known as “The Berdhouse”) for the past eight years while I have continued to teach full-time … Continue reading Wait Training

A Devotional Reading of Hebrews 12:18-24: Expand Your Awe of God

This morning I spent time in Hebrews 12:18-24 during my morning reading in God’s Word.[1] I found myself particularly attuned to some things I had never previously noticed. In the middle of a warning passage—a passage written to caution professing believers not to be passive or turn away from reverent submission to an awesome God—I … Continue reading A Devotional Reading of Hebrews 12:18-24: Expand Your Awe of God