The Suburbs of HeavenThe very first article I ever wrote for Tabletalk Magazine was entitled “Our Blessed Struggle.” It was published in 2009 (you can read the entire article here) and focused on the story of Jacob wrestling all night with the Lord, which is found in Genesis 32:22-32. In the article, I…
One of the most helpful quotes that I have encountered is from the Scottish Puritan Samuel Rutherford. He said, “Live in Christ, and you are in the suburbs of heaven.” The reason I have found this quote so helpful is because it addresses one of my greatest struggles, namely, the…
One of the most frequently used words at Reformed Theological Seminary is the word “winsome.” I believe it is a good word that describes a necessary and thoroughly biblical idea. But I realize that what we mean by this word and why we think it is important for us to…
Another of the reasons why our growth in the Christian life can appear imperceptible at times is because we do not deal drastically with sin. We toy with it. We coddle it. And we do this especially with particular sins that seem to “fit” us better than others do. I…
In my last post, I referenced a quote from Samuel Rutherford on the importance of the affections in the Christian life. That quote read as follows: The affections are like the needle, the rest of the soul like the thread; and as the needle makes way and draws the thread,…
The English Puritan John Owen helpfully differentiates between knowing the truth and knowing the power of the truth—a distinction with which we should all readily identify as Christians. It is a distinction between knowing true things and actually experiencing them for ourselves. I can still remember the time when all…
