When weighed against eternity and its glory, the hardest of lives will be seen as light and brief.” (Tripp, Keeping Destiny in View, pg.16.).
Heart Change is Possible
As we face our own struggles with sin and minster to people who seem trapped by things they cannot overcome, this must be our message too. We must faithfully proclaim, “Hope is only to be found in Jesus Christ, the King of Kings. In him, lasting, personal heart change is possible.” Any other message encourages […]
Aimless Despair
The image produced is one of Tamar wandering aimlessly, with her torn dress, wailing like one in mourning, publicly announcing her grief and her disgrace. The assault has reduced her to a state of aimless despair…Tamar’s body language portrays deep pain….She has been grievously wronged by Amnon and left alone by everyone else. Her brother […]
An Expression of Hatred
Regarding biblical accounts of sexual assault, Mieke Bal writes, ‘Rape is an expression of hatred, motivated by hate, and is often accompanied by offensive verbal language.’ Amnon failed to consider Tamar as a complete person, created with dignity in the image of God. The intensity of Amnon’s desire for Tamar was matched only by the […]
The Best of News
You cannot escape sin because it dwells within you. All the things you learn get twisted by its power. You can’t outsmart it or buy your way out of it. You can’t move to escape it. This is why the coming of the king is the best of news. Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, […]
Your Problem Goes Deeper
Hi John, in our counseling we often find ourselves in the situation where we end uptelling the person, “I can give you good advice or I can give you Good News. The good advice is only temporarily good, like a band-aid. The problem is that your situation requires more than a simple band-aid. You see, […]
Grace and Mercy Come To Those Who Need It
“Martin Luther describes this good news: ‘God receives none but those who are forsaken, restores health to none but those who are sick, gives sight to none but the blind, and life to none but the dead….He has mercy on none but the wretched and gives grace to none but those who are in disgrace.’ […]
Like a Burning Tree
“…the expressions describing Israel as having ears but not hearing and possessing eyes but not seeing (Is 6:9-10) and like a burning tree (Is 6:13a) are best understood as metaphors of idolatry that are applied to the disobedient nation in order to emphasize that they would be punished for their idol worship by being judged […]
Repentance Requires Power
“Notice that Christ connects the good news to a call to repentance. The Bible defines repentance as a radical change of heart resulting in a radical change in the direction of one’s life. It is only possible if there is power to change.” Tripp, Instruments In the Redeemer’s Hands, p. 5.