When you picture the little Lord Jesus laying down his sweet head in a manger in Bethlehem, do you see a warrior? Christmas is a violent war story. It has to be, because life on this side of eternity is spiritual warfare. Rebellion raises its ugly head then grace comes down darkness covers creation’s light then grace comes down thorns and disease infect then grace comes down people lie and cheat then grace comes down desires lead astray then grace comes down image-bearers... Read More

Human beings sing. We can’t stop singing. If you listen carefully, you will notice that we tend to sing about what has captured our hearts. What has captured your heart this Christmas? We have no better reason to sing than this: The Savior is born to live, die, and rise again to fix what sin has broken! God commands us to sing (see Ephesians 5:18–19 and Colossians 3:16), so I want to share excerpts from my six favorite Christmas hymns with you and your family. Read the... Read More

Someone asked me the other day which Scripture passage was the best to share with their family at Christmas. That’s like cornering me and demanding I publicly declare which of my four children I love most. It’s an impossible question, but the passage I return to most is Isaiah 9:6. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince... Read More

Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving in America, a day where we communicate our gratitude in front of others. As much as I love the Thanksgiving festivities, we must admit that this response isn’t typical for us. The default language of the hearts of sinners is grumbling. This tension between complaint and gratitude tugs at your heart constantly. It’s a spiritual battle, and the result shapes fundamentally different responses of how you live. It’s a spiritual battle,... Read More