Jesus was asking them a simple question: how far does God’s grace go? How far does his love stretch? How deep does it plunge? To the worst sinner? To the deepest depravity? To the best Pharisee? To the smartest scribe?

“In 1949 I had been having a great many doubts concerning the Bible. I thought I saw apparent contradictions in Scripture. Some things I could not reconcile with my restricted concept of God. When I stood up to preach, the authoritative note so characteristic of all great preachers of the past was lacking. Like hundreds of other young seminary students, I was waging the intellectual battle of my life. The outcome could certainly affect my future ministry.

Here's what I read in February 2018.

Jesus is the heir of all things, and that all things includes you.

Throughout Ephesians 1, there is a goal. Three times, in verses 6, 12, and 14, is a call to praise God for his grace. I wonder what you think of that. I wonder if it sounds a strange goal to you?

God is the true and better Leonardo. But rather than taking a blank canvas and layering paint drop by drop, he takes a soiled heart, made hard by sin, and softens it, reworks it, in fact, remakes it into his image.

The scene: Exodus 12. God sends the final devastating plague to the Egyptians.

January means it's time to start on the year's reading goals. Here's what I read in January 2018.

Spiritual leaders must do many things. They must shepherd and serve and teach, but they must not turn our attention away from Jesus. How can they paint the picture of heaven if they’ve only seen the outskirts? They must be present with the King to tell about his kingdom.

For Schaeffer, spiritual leadership was comprised of two things. First, spiritual leadership maintained a neutral outlook on leadership itself. Second, spiritual leadership held closely to gospel doctrine without forsaking gospel culture.