#perseverance

The Great Stores of God’s Provision

I recently read an account of one of the world’s most dangerous and demanding races. Over the course of a week, participants must run nearly 300 kilometers over scorching desert terrain. Once they set out, they are expected to remain mostly independent and to follow a track that has been staked across flatlands and dunes, dry river beds and infrequent oases. To ensure participants have the provisions they need, the race organizers leave stores of food, water, and medical supplies …

How To Bear Up Under Your Burdens

We all bear burdens on our pilgrimage through this weary and wearying world. Sometimes these are burdens of temptation, when we feel the world, the flesh, and the devil arrayed against us, luring and enticing us toward some sinful thought or depraved deed. Sometimes these are burdens of guilt as we think back to a sin we committed and we grieve our folly, grieve our inner disposition away from what is good and toward what is evil. Sometimes these are …

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Slogging Blogging

Back in my days as a university student, I had one instructor who was, to my mind, the ultimate professor. He had an encyclopedic knowledge of his field and a deep passion for it, and knowledge plus passion is always a powerful combination. I had this professor for a couple of courses, both of them related to military history. He was and remains my all-time favorite. He liked to discuss the differences between the two world wars, and one of …

Maintain Your Vigilance

We all love to watch the occasional fail video, don’t we? What started years ago on primetime television has migrated to YouTube and become one of our beloved pastimes. Some of my favorites are “finish line fails,” compilations of athletes celebrating just a bit too soon. In one of these finish line fails, an Olympic runner is nearing the end of his race, still going at a tremendous pace. He has swept around the final turn and is now just …

The Doctrine of Perseverance

A couple of weeks ago I preached for the first time after the elders at my church were kind enough to ask me if I’d like to contribute to a series called “God’s Sovereign Saving Grace.” This was a series on the Doctrines of Grace that has spanned a few month’s worth of Sunday nights. Sermons have been led by a variety of the men of the church–the pastor, elders, future preachers (it seems our church has an inordinate number …