» 1. White hot faith

Worship is a way of gladly reflecting back to God the radiance of his worth. This cannot be done by mere acts of duty. It can be done only when spontaneous affections arise in the heart.

Consider the analogy of a wedding anniversary. Mine is on December 21. Suppose on this day I bring home a [...]

Life is war. That’s not all it is. But it is always that. Our weakness in prayer is owing largely to our neglect of this truth. Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief. It is not surprising that prayer malfunctions [...]

If there lurks in most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing [...]

Another in the series on how God shapes the heart of movement founders. This story comes from Sam Metcalf who heads up Church Resource Ministries (CRM).

In February of 1985, about 40 staff and friends of Church Resource Ministries (CRM) gathered at Glen Eyrie, for our annual conference.

Several months earlier, Chuck Singletary (then president of CRM) [...]

And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. John 12:32

Come, ye workers, be encouraged. You fear that you cannot draw a congregation. Try the preaching of a crucified, risen, and ascended Saviour; for this is the greatest “draw” that was ever yet manifested among men.

What drew you [...]

If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. [...]

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride.

Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood.

See from His head, His hands, His [...]

Before the throne of God above,
I have a strong and perfect plea –
A great High Priest whose name is love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart,
I know that while in heaven He stands,
No tongue can bid me thence depart,
No tongue can bid me [...]

Christ is the mediator who places himself between two conflicting powers. On the one hand he is on God’s side. Therefore he exposes himself to the world’s whole hatred of God, and the satanic powers of the world seek to limit his influence, to rob him of his godhead and dishonour him. On the [...]

As we stand before the cross, we begin to gain a clear view both of God and ourselves, especially in relation to each other. Instead of inflicting upon us the judgment we deserved, God in Christ endured it in our place. Hell is the only alternative. This is the ‘scandal’, the stumbling block, of the [...]