Tried With Fire

On Sunday, John Freeman from HarvestUSA spoke at the evening service. It was a very encouraging message on the call to holiness in every area of our lives and how the gospel makes this possible. HarvestUSA's ministry specifically addresses issues of sexual brokenness, so this brother has seen what the grace of God can do. When my daughter and I were discussing the service afterward, I mentioned that his talk reminded me of Thomas Chalmer's sermon, The Expulsive Power of a New Affection ,  in which love for God displaces the love for idols. But she surprised me by saying that we need to be careful because this could be misunderstood. I asked her to explain and she replied - Our love for God does not change us. It is the God whom we love who changes us. (Mic drop.) Make no mistake, Chalmers doesn't get this wrong at all, but I can see why she expressed this caution. As a child of Adam, I am hardwired by the covenant of works to "do this and live." But because ...

When folks talk about reliving their youth, I have no desire to go back, especially to my teen years. I was part of the out-crowd, so even if I tried to fit in, it was a lost cause. However, it was eye-opening to see the change in my friends when we made the jump to high school. In class, they seemed the same, but I later learned about the drinking, smoking, and who knows what else. But I don't think it was the booze or tobacco alone that was the draw. By living on the edge, they were admitted to a new circle of friends. They were suddenly noticed by older boys. These things were means to a desired end - acceptance and attention. If we're honest, we've all done this to a certain degree. "I want abc , and xyz will give it to me or help in me in my pursuit so I'll do  xyz  . " For teen girls it could look like: Dress like this and guys will give you a second look, which may lead to a date, which may lead to a relationship because true happiness is found whe...