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God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him. I first read those words more than twenty years ago in John Pipers The Pleasures of God. Second only to the Bible, that book has had a profound impact on my life. I have owned several copies over the years; my first copy had to be replaced because I wore it out, and the copy on my shelf today is well marked. To give you a sense of why Pipers book means so much to me, let me read something I underlined from his chapter, The Pleasure of God in His Creation: What is the universe but the lavish demonstration of the incredible, incompar
We now come to the passage in the Bible that some of you have heard so much about. For some of you, you are already familiar with the story of how God miraculously healed me, so I will not spend much time retelling it. However, there is something I have not talked much about, and it has to do with my response to this passage in Revelation 7:9-17. When I was serving as the senior pastor at Northwest Baptist Church, the pressure of ministry began to affect me in ways I did not expect. The church was in a difficult season, and I was carrying a lot. Anxiety began to take a toll on my health. Becau
In the 1870s, Charles Taze Russell began leading Bible classes in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, with a small group that came to be known as Bible Students. In 1879, he began publishing a Bible journal later known asThe Watch Tower.Then, in 1884, he incorporated what became the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. Through Russells publishing work, the movement spread beyond Pennsylvania and eventually laid the foundation for what later became Jehovahs Witnesses under Joseph Rutherford. Russell rejected several historic Christian doctrines, including eternal conscious punishment in hell and, most se
During the week leading up to Jesus crucifixion, He was asked by His disciples, What will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age? (Matt. 24:3). As you are already aware, Jesus warned that before His coming there would be false christs claiming to be Him, wars and rumors of wars, nations rising against nations, kingdoms rising against kingdoms, famines, and earthquakes in various places. Jesus said these things would be the beginning of birth pains leading up to the end (Matt. 24:18). After describing the abomination of desolation, which I believe was fulfilled in connection with
My friend Shana Reif suffered from Cystic Fibrosis, a genetic disease that primarily affects the lungs and other organs. It causes thick, sticky mucus to build up in the airways, leading to repeated infections, inflammation, and progressive lung damage. In many cases, the disease can advance until the lungs can no longer do what God created them to dobring oxygen into the body and sustain life. Cystic Fibrosis is a horrible and incurable disease, and it was the disease Shana endured all her life. When she was born, her parents were told she would not live much past her twentieth birthday. But
We all wear glasses in this room. I am not referring to your contacts or the physical glasses your eye doctor prescribed. I am referring to your worldviewthe lenses through which you interpret everything you see: God, yourself, others, suffering, evil, history, the purpose of life, and the future. In our world today, people use a wide range of worldviews to make sense of reality. Theism holds that a personal God created and rules the world. Naturalism holds that the physical universe is all that exists. Pantheism identifies God with the world or sees God as present in everything. Postmodernism
About the same time the book of Revelation was written, a Jewish historian named Josephus, who was not a Christian, wrote about Jesus. Though the wording of the full passage has been debated, the basic testimony is striking: Jesus was known as a wise man, a worker of remarkable deeds, a teacher, one who gained followers, was crucified under Pilate, and whose followers did not disappear: Around this time there lived Jesus, a wise manif it is right to call him merely a man. He performed remarkable works and was a teacher of people who gladly received the truth. He attracted many Jews and many Ge
The cannibals! You will be eaten by cannibals! That was the warningJohn G. Patonreceived when he announced his call to take the gospel to the New Hebrides. An older man in his churchknown simply as Mr. Dicksontried to dissuade him. From a human standpoint, the concern was understandable. Patons ministry in Glasgow was thriving. Hundreds gathered each week, lives were being changed, and the work was fruitful. Why would anyone leave such a place? The New Hebrides were known as one of the most dangerous mission fields in the world. Just nineteen years earlier, in 1839, missionariesJohn Williamsan
In 2016, I was gifted a second-generation Apple Watch. Since then, Ive worn a smartwatch almost exclusivelyuntil recently. I still wear my Apple Watch, but I now also wear a mechanical watchone that needs neither a battery nor a charging cable. It runs on a finely engineered system of gears, springs, and a self-winding rotor that winds as I move my wrist. When I wear it, Im wearing a timepiece with hundreds of tiny components working in harmonyvisible through the caseback, moving like a heartbeat. There is an older and grander clock in our worldtheStrasbourg Cathedral Astronomical Clock, locat
We live in a day when worship is often treated casuallybut Scripture makes it clear that God does not take worship lightly. And yet, many of us rarely stop to consider what is actually taking place in heaven right now what true worship really looks like before the throne of God. Last week, we were given a glimpse into that throne room, where everything centers on the One who sits upon the thronesurrounded by splendor, power, and unshakable sovereignty. But as Johns vision continues, our attention now shifts from the throne itself to the worship that surrounds it. After the Lord delivered Israe
Revelation 4 is one of those chapters in the Bible that should leave us breathless by its sheer majesty and beauty. There are moments in this world that cause us to step back and marvelyet even those are only a faint glimpse of something far greater: O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens (Ps. 8:1). Scripture gives us glimpses that prepare us for what John sees here. Moses stood before a burning bush and was told, Take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground, and when God revealed Himsel
The problem with man-made religion is that it creates a system where you must go up to God. Let me give you some examples: Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) said, By oneself is evil done; by oneself is one defiled. By oneself is evil left undone; by oneself is one purified. Purity and impurity depend on oneself; no one can purify another. Confucius taught that personal excellence is achieved through discipline, desire, and effort. Karl Marx said that religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature the heart of a heartless world the soul of soulless conditions the opium of the people, and that real ch
I want to read you some quotes from some theologians and authors that you could have found or may even still be able to find in your local Christian books store: Bob Wilkin: One can be a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and yet not be a disciple. Jesus: You have abandoned the love you had at first. (Rev. 2:4) Joel Osteen: God wants to increase you financially, by giving you promotions, fresh ideas, and creativity. Jesus: Be faithful onto death, and I will give you the crown of life. (2:10) Robert Schuller: Sin is any act or thought that robs myself or another human being of his or her self-es
In the ancient world, few cities were as impressive as Laodicea. It was a place of wealth, influence, and self-made success. Known for its thriving textile industry, its production of luxurious black wool, and its advanced medical practices, Laodicea stood as a symbol of prosperity. When disaster struck with a devastating earthquake, the city famously refused outside help and rebuilt on its own. Independence was not just a necessityit was a point of pride. By all outward measures, Laodicea lacked nothing. Yet, there was a quiet irony rooted in the citys life. Despite all its wealth and innovat
There is a passage in the Bible that has challenged my pride while also encouraging me when I feel completely inadequate. By the worlds standards of intelligence or success, I probably shouldnt be serving as a pastor, teaching, or writing. Growing up, my parents were told that I probably wouldnt go to college because I wasnt considered smart enough. I spent much of junior high and high school in learning-disabled classes, and until my senior year I barely passed most of my courses. Yet after I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ, I began to understand something that changed everything: what ul
The city of Sardis once symbolized wealth, power, and security. During the reign of King Croesus in the sixth century B.C., it gained fame for its riches, much of which came from the gold deposits of the Pactolus River flowing through the city. Situated strategically at the western end of the Royal Road, Sardis prospered as a central hub of commerce and influence. Yet the city also harbored a hidden vulnerability. Despite its seemingly invulnerable position atop a steep acropolis, Sardis fell more than once because its guards failed to remain watchful. In 546 B.C., the Persian king Cyrus captu
