When we sing about heaven, we typically, and with good warrant, focus on life in the presence of our Creator and our Savior, of freedom from want and strife and suffering, of fellowship with the saints. We sing of a place with “Not a shadow, not a sigh” (When We All Get to Heaven); where …
Editor’s note: This post is part of a series featuring outstanding excerpts from student papers at the BibleMesh Institute, which offers affordable online training for local churches, schools, and ministries. The author’s name has been withheld for privacy and security purposes. She is preparing to serve as a missionary overseas. All of creation, including our …
9 “And Moses swore on that day, saying, ‘Surely the land on which your foot has trodden shall be an inheritance for you and your children forever, because you have wholly followed the LORD my God.’ 10 And now, behold, the LORD has kept me alive, just as he said, these forty-five years since the time that the …
If the nativity scenes in your house are like the ones in mine, there’s no hint that the characters experienced difficulty or pain surrounding the birth of Jesus. Shepherds, wise men, Mary, and Joseph all admire the Christ child in the warm glow of a cozy stable, smiles on their faces. Of course, Christmas did …
How Should We Cope with Burdens at Christmastime? Read More »
Why pastors should ponder the pandemic “Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers?” The prophet Joel lambasted the “elders” of his time for their failure to reflect on the unique disaster of their times. Why had God hit Israel with this locust plague (Joel 1:2)? Before …
Richard Sibbes was an influential English Puritan leader during the early years of the seventeenth century. Above all, he was known as a great preacher. The following excerpt comes from his exposition of Philippians 3:18. Sibbes encourages his hearers to realize that affections, or passions, are necessary for God’s children. He goes on to expound one …
“We Are as We Love”—Richard Sibbes (1577 – 1635) Read More »