The Lord spoke powerful words to the apostle Paul as he suffered with his painful thorn in the flesh: “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor 12:9). But what do these words mean in practice? In particular, how is God’s power made perfect in weakness? Before … Continue reading How is God’s Power Made Perfect in Our Weakness? (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
Tag: Bible
Praying God’s Word
Have you ever wondered what to pray? How about praying things you find in the Bible? The Bible doesn’t explicitly teach us to pray using the words of the Bible. But it does model the use of Scripture for prayer and assumes that the Bible will guide our prayers. When Jesus entered Jerusalem on a … Continue reading Praying God’s Word
Exegetical Fallacies: Author Interview
D. A. Carson and Andrew David Naselli recently released a third edition of Exegetical Fallacies, a book that in its first two editions helped thousands of Christians interpret the Bible well—and avoid common pitfalls in interpretation. I reached out to Andy Naselli to see if he would answer a few questions about biblical interpretation and … Continue reading Exegetical Fallacies: Author Interview
15 Key Differentiations in Genesis 1-2
I recently read Carl Trueman’s book, Crisis of Confidence (Crossway, 2024). On page 46, Trueman makes the following comment: “The creation account in Genesis makes a series of fundamental distinctions that are important….” He then mentions numbers 1, 10, and 11 from the list below (see pp. 46-47). I decided to fill out Trueman’s list … Continue reading 15 Key Differentiations in Genesis 1-2
The Gift of Sleep: An Interview with Brett McCracken
This past Spring when I learned that Brett McCracken had written a soon-to-be-released book about sleep, I knew that I had to read it as soon as it came out. (I read it in one day this past weekend.) The name of the book is: The Wisdom of Sleep: How Rest Reveals God's Truth and Revives … Continue reading The Gift of Sleep: An Interview with Brett McCracken
From Public Baths to Prisons: How Ancient Civic Places Unlock the Bible
I recently read a fascinating book about ancient places (like theaters, agoras, libraries, cemeteries) and how understanding their functions can illuminate early Christian life. The author is Jason Borges. Jason earned his Master of Divinity at Talbot School of Theology (Biola University) and a Ph.D. at Durham University in northeast England. Jason recently released Christian Life … Continue reading From Public Baths to Prisons: How Ancient Civic Places Unlock the Bible
What is My Calling?
I told Trudi this morning that one of the reasons I’m willing to work hard in ministry, lose sleep, and frequently end each day tired is because I have a strong sense of calling.[1] This has been true ever since God got a hold of my heart as a fourteen-year-old high school freshman. But after … Continue reading What is My Calling?
I Used to Think that Everything in the Bible Should be Easy to Understand
Following is the introduction to a message I preached on 1 Corinthians 9:1-18 at Redemption Hill Church on March 22, 2026 as part of the preaching series on 1 Corinthians. (That sermon is HERE.) In the introduction I raise the question of why everything in the Bible isn’t easy to understand. When God got a … Continue reading I Used to Think that Everything in the Bible Should be Easy to Understand
Snippets from God’s Purposes in Our Pain
For today’s post, I’ve extracted twelve brief passages from my new book (with co-author Keith Krell): God’s Purposes in Our Pain: 10 Ways God Uses Suffering for Our Good. I hope you’ll receive spiritual encouragement from these short excerpts—though, of course, the impact will be greater if you can get a copy of the book … Continue reading Snippets from God’s Purposes in Our Pain
God’s Purposes in Our Pain (Release-Day Excerpt)
Today is launch day for God’s Purposes in Our Pain: 10 Ways God Uses Suffering for Our Good. Keith Krell (my co-author) and I have been eagerly awaiting this day so we can share this book with you. (The photo is of students in my Romans class celebrating the release of this brand new book!) … Continue reading God’s Purposes in Our Pain (Release-Day Excerpt)
