What is Paul’s main point in the allegory of Sarah and Hagar? What truth does he want his readers to see from this Old Testament story? Watch Now ..read more

One of the most impactful theological conversations I remember being a part of happened when I was in my early twenties as a Bible-college student in Southern California. Some friends and I had stayed up way too late talking, and at one point our conversation turned toward the topic of heaven. I can’t remember what precise words we said, but I can recall the feeling. As we pondered the glories of the eschaton together, we whipped ourselves up into a flurry of joy, wonder, and longing. Happier Visions of Heaven At the time, I recall being captivated by the profound earthiness of the new creati ..read more

How can we walk through this world of sin, suffering, and futility with strength and joy? Psalm 90:14 holds the key. Listen Now ..read more

On February 23, 1856, Charles H. Spurgeon found a spare moment to write to a friend about the remarkable revival that was happening under his preaching. He had been in London for less than two years, and in that short time, his popularity had grown such that no building could hold the thousands coming to hear him. England had not seen the likes of Spurgeon since the days of Wesley and Whitefield. “Everywhere, at all hours, places are crammed to the doors. The devil is wide awake, but so, too, is the Master.” With this growing popularity, the invitations to preach were pouring in. Just that we ..read more

Children of God come into being when Christ is formed in them through faith. Paul compares his whole ministry to a matchmaker and a mother. Watch Now ..read more

What is the point of suffering in obscurity? That question haunted me for years. I wondered if there was any purpose to the days, months, and even decades of pain that no one witnessed. My suffering wasn’t neat and tidy, with a definite beginning, a short duration, and a clear purpose. It dragged on till I was tempted to give up hope and to rage against my circumstances. I questioned whether my faithfulness was pointless. I assumed my private response to suffering was ultimately inconsequential. Nothing could have been further from the truth. I’ve since learned that, instead of being insignif ..read more

On my desk sits a book with a dark image on its cover: a Christian soldier stands alone, surrounded by spiritual enemies. Seven arrows and a spear aim at his heart; death and the devil draw close. The soldier has some armor and a shield, but he still looks desperate — outmatched, outmanned, and utterly aware of it. He folds his hands and looks to heaven. As a portrayal of the Christian’s spiritual warfare, the image holds some merit. We live in “the evil day” (Ephesians 6:13). Lies fly toward us like invisible arrows as we engage “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). We often ..read more

There are no women in the mosque down the street from us. When the call to prayer sounds before dawn, some women might kneel on their bedroom floors to do the ritual prayers, but they don’t go to the mosque to hear the mullah. They don’t worship alongside the men. If they go to a mosque at all, they enter a separate room where they cannot be seen. Years ago, my husband and I visited a mosque school for religious leaders in Turkey. Through translators, we asked for a description of the Muslim conception of paradise. A graduate student told us it’s a beautiful place with a river flowing with wi ..read more

How does God’s compassion overcome human resistance? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper turns to Jonah 2 to show how mercy conquered the prophet. Watch Now ..read more

If you leave the gospel for the law, you are under an enchantment. To break the spell, remember the blessings that the gospel brings. Watch Now ..read more