How Church Leaders Can Be a Nonanxious Presence
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“I offer this attempt to clarify what’s meant by ‘nonanxious presence’ and to provide recommendations for how we can help become such people ourselves.” - TGC
Be Still, My Soul: Old Lyrics with Timeless Truths
Lately, the words of this classic hymn have echoed in my head. The stirring melody by Jean Sebelius has become the theme music for my summer. Be Still My Soul.
As Chris Anderson argues in his book, Theology That Sticks,* the great hymns of the faith often remind us of the truths of God’s Word far longer than any book we read or sermon we hear. Let’s walk through the lyrics of Be Still My Soul and discover what Scripture passages German hymnwriter Kathrina von Schlegel (and translator Jane Borthwick) reference throughout this hymn.
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Are You Ever Quiet? Relearning a Lost and Holy Habit
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“Isaiah records one of God’s invitations to be quiet: ‘Thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength’” (Isaiah 30:15).” - Desiring God
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Be Comforted in Your Smallness
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“I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.” - Desiring God
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Live At Peace With Everyone: Thoughts on Romans 12:18-21
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“Paul placed the charge of living at peace on his hearers. He did not mention the obligations of the other party or parties in the conflict. His focus is on his hearers’ efforts to be peacemakers.” - Tim McKnight
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Peace (a poem)
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“In my third sonnet on the Fruit of the Spirit, I reflect a little bit on how God brings peace to our relationships. Only by yielding to His work within us can our world ever have peace.” - Jake Bier
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How to Inhabit an Unraveling Culture
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“How, then, do we make peace? By taking up the weapons made for the war we’re in. Against them our true enemy cannot stand. When tempted to outrage, armored Christians move toward one another in shoes of peace.” - TGC
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Peace of Mind in a Rapidly Changing World
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“Working in a fast-moving world can cause great anxiety if our sense of security is found in the wrong places. Markets change, governments rise and fall, and this instability can bring discouragement if our highest hope is placed in these institutions.” - TIFWE
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Fruit of the Spirit: “The life of a believer should be characterized by being at peace with those around us”
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D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones: “Nowhere in this chapter is there an exhortation or an appeal to produce a unity. Our Lord is saying that the unity is already there, already in existence.” - Ref21
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When the Wicked Prosper: A Biblical Perspective
What should we do when the wicked prosper?
Like most of you, I’m deeply concerned with a lot that’s taking place in our country. Godless ideologies are rapidly becoming mainstream as wicked people in powerful positions of influence relentlessly advance their agendas. Those who try to resist are marginalized or “cancelled.” The alarming success of the wicked cannot be ignored. It’s reshaping our culture, worldview, relationships, and freedoms. One can only imagine what might be on the horizon if the wicked continue to prosper in their endeavors.
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