On Being Careful About Interpreting Providence (Horton)

Many Christians have gone through difficult trials which led them to believe that God does not care for them. Sometimes, when we're in a bad spot in life, we question if God still loves us. We sometimes automatically think that if something bad happens to us, it means God is upset with us. However, that's …

When Things Don’t Go Your Way…

1 Timothy 2:5-6 is a well-known part of Scripture that is rich, deep, and comforting: For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time... (NIV). When John Calvin explained …

God’s Providential Care for Us (Vitringa)

This is one of the best books on Christian spirituality I've read: The Spiritual Life by Campegius Vitringa (d. 1722). Vitringa was a Reformed theologian who rubbed shoulders with other solid theologians such as Herman Witsius. After studying theology and the biblical languages, Vitringa became a professor of Hebrew and theology at the University of …

Wait For His Seasonable Aid (Music Monday)

It's been a while since I did a "Music Monday" here on the Reformed Reader. While thinking about this, it didn't take me long to find a good hymn from William Cowper's "Olney Hymns" in his Complete Poetical Works. It's called "Jehovah-Jireh: The Lord Will Provide." The hymn is based on Genesis 22:14 [Abraham named …

Jesus Does All Things Well

This morning I was studying Mark 7:31-37. This is the story of Jesus healing the mute/deaf man (c.f. Is. 35:4-6). Afterward the crowds were amazed and kept saying, everything he does is wonderful; he has done everything well! (NLT, NET). Here are some of J. C. Ryle's encouraging devotional thoughts on this phrase in Mark …