Few things have given me as much joy in this life as those seasons when, in studying His word, the Spirit of the Lord opens my mind and the Scriptures come to life and blossom right before my eyes.

Beloved, there is so much life in His word. Let's not neglect it.- Joel Richardson

"Who may ascend to the hill of the Lord, and who may stand in His holy place?"  

No one, except the Messiah, because only he has "clean hands and a pure heart and has not lifted up his soul to an idol nor sworn deceitfully" (Ps. 24:3-4).

Praise God for the True and Perfect Mediator. - Travis M. Snow

“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” -Hab. 3

The Bible assumes God’s sovereignty throughout. It neither grows nor diminishes. He rules over all. No need to wait for it. The Kingdom of God passages in the NT speak of something very different: the coming restoration of the kingdom of David in Jerusalem. - Bill Scofield

Though the heavens are closed in this age, so to speak, they will be opened in the age to come; and the darkness of sinful humanity will be exposed and overcome by the glory of God. As with other aspects of divine sovereignty, historical revelations of divine glory point to their eschatological conclusion, based upon their protological introduction. Consequently, the gift of the Spirit, and the glory therein (cf. 2 Cor 3:17-18; 4:4-7), gives us a faint glimpse, as "in a mirror dimly" (1 Cor 13:12), into the age to come. 

-John P. Harrigan, the Gospel of Christ Crucified

"Out of the deepest waters and the hottest fires have come the deepest things that I know about God." ~Elisabeth Elliot

Theology 101: The return of Jesus will be a visible event, “seen” by all the world: (Is 33:17; 35:2; 52:8,10; 66:14,18; Zec 12:10; Mat 24:30; 26:64; 1 Thes 1:7–8; 2 Thes 2:8; Col 3:4; Rev 1:7). The concept of an invisible, spiritual coming is unbiblical gnostic babble. - Joel Richardson

"By prayer we learn to pray." -Richard Sibbes

The more mature a believer is, the more fascinated, child like and hungry they will be. - Corey Russell

...in no way did the early church believe the resurrection and eternal life had already begun. In fact, those who say that “the resurrection has already happened” (2 Tim. 2:18) actually destroy people’s faith, for “Who hopes for what he sees?” (Rom. 8:24). -John P. Harrigan

 My teaching on Psalm 69. Notes. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

“The terms of God’s covenant with Israel have framed human history.” -Apocalyptic Gospel Podcast

No church is stronger than its prayer meeting. - Leonard Ravenhill

The greatest miracle in the world is not raising the dead. I’ve seen critical miracles, but I want to tell you something right here: that the greatest miracle in the world is not getting withered legs straightened out, and cross-eyes straightened, and deaf ears unplugged.

The greatest miracle in the world is that God can take an unholy man out of an unholy world, make that unholy man holy, put him back in an unholy world, and keep him holy. Only the Gospel of the grace of God can do that. - Leonard Ravenhill

What is prayer? Prayer is the language of the poor. Read over and over and over again the word of the prophet when he says, “Bow down thy knee and hear me, for I am POOR and needy!” We tend to think you need a big vocabulary, a great deal of education, or stained glass windows. - Leonard Ravenhill

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets.... Truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.” Matthew 5:17–18

Thus Jesus, our Lord, vouched for his Bible, the Old Testament. -John Piper

This heart to see the forgiveness and salvation of the enemies of God sets Christian martyrdom apart...It is death for the sake of love that makes a disciple like Jesus...Martyrdom is only Christian if it communicates the love and mercy of God in the cross.

-John P. Harrigan

“God tested Abraham.” -Genesis 22.1b

He will test you as well, Christian. It is not to reject you, but to bring forth your faith as gold. He “disciplines those that He loves.” We ought to gladly receive our tests, and reply in all seasons: “Here am I, desiring to obey Your voice.” -BA Purtle

"We do not believe in the ever-shifting views of the divine being which differing philosophies are adopting; the God of the Hebrews is our God--- the Mighty One, the covenant-keeping God--- this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death." -Spurgeon

He who has given himself entirely unto God will never think he does too much for Him. —Henry Scougal

Death used to be an executioner, but Christ has made him just a gardener. -Timothy Keller

The reason that intercession is still a niche within the Church rather than a core identity of the Church is because we still imagine our societal problems are solvable via activism, leadership development, and strategic thinking. The Divine discipline of a loving Father, therefore, allows us to go our way and try to solve the complex problems of a sinful and fallen world through our own methodologies. Meanwhile, the decline of humanity and western society accelerates.

The Father knows, at a certain point, the complexity of human brokenness and sin will far surpass our ability to raise awareness, pass legislation, develop leaders, or formulate growth strategies. He waits patiently for us to finally appeal to Him as our only true hope. His House will be a House of Prayer, His people will be a people of intercession, and a global prayer movement will be born out of the revelation of a people who see no other way forward to justice and societal change apart from His ultimate intervention and judgments. -David Sliker

Though God’s anger has been appeased presently toward those in Christ—that is, “We have peace with God” (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:13; Col. 1:20)—this present experience of peace with God is in anticipation of being saved “from the wrath to come” (1 Thess. 1:10; Rom. 5:9). -John P. Harrigan

"...eschatological urgency fuels the expansion and maturation of the church." - Tim Miller, Poised for Harvest/Braced for Backlash

The Jewish leaders' rejection of Jesus did not abrogate or redefine God's covenant with Abraham and his descendants to be a priestly people. A day is coming when all nations will flow to Jerusalem to learn and worship. Gen 12:1-3; Ex 19:5-6; Rom 11; Isa 2:1-4; Zech 8:20-23

-Josh Hawkins

God’s first argument with a man isn’t that he’s a prodigal. God’s first argument with a man is that he’s a REBEL. ‘God’s not going to rule my life.’ -Leonard Ravenhill

God so loved the world that He chose Israel. -Joel Richardson

"The desire to be first is a disqualification for Christian leadership." - DA Carson

Because our lives generate from the heart, the reckoning of our lives in the eyes of God, and the accounting of our sins [on the Day], will begin with the heart. -John P Harrigan

Therefore: "Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life."- Proverbs 4:23

One purpose of eschatology is to produce stability in the hearts of the Lord’s people; a stability that comes from knowing what will happen before it does, knowing that God is sovereign over history, and knowing the conquering King who will reign upon this earth. - Travis M Snow

It’s very important that we have a Christ-centered approach to eschatology. If our study of the “last things” does not simultaneously reveal the Messiah to us in a deeper way, we’re doing it wrong. - Travis M Snow

My teaching on Psalm 68. Notes. Audio 1, Audio 2.

“After all these years, I’ve come to realize the greatest tragedy for a Believer is to be a Christian and not truly know Jesus.” - Allen Hood

A disciple of Jesus understands that their reward is not coming in this age, but when He returns.

They may lose money, property, reputation, and even their own life because their highest aim is to imitate him as a witness. A day is coming when it's all going to change. -Josh Hawkins

Your sin isn’t some little virus that’s causing spots. Your sin, my dear friend, is a cancer that will burn in you in time, and it’ll burn through you in hell if you don’t get rid of it. - Leonard Ravenhill

The Parable of the Two Foundations

Men who complain about their churches abound. Men who pray earnestly for their churches, care for the saints and make disciples are far too rare.

Do not walk the broad road of consumerism. Find the narrow road of becoming a true churchman, and carry the cross all the way to glory. -BA Purtle

“I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her.”

“I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem. Then Jerusalem will be called the Faithful City, and the mountain of the Lord Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain.”

“Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each of them with cane in hand because of their age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.”

-YWH

On the Suffering and Glory of the Bride:

Does the Bride get battered and bloody during the Great Tribulation? Yes. Just as the Bridegroom Himself was battered and bloodied. Both Head and Body endure (and overcome) an "hour when darkness reigns." There is an ultimate, eschatological Cross for the Bride to bear, so that the desire of Paul may be fulfilled in us: "I want to know Him...and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings."

The "fellowship of sufferings" will be a key component of the Bride's intimacy with Jesus. But Paul's teaching is wider than that:

"that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead."

-Gabe Cali

Paul describes life lived by faith in Christ's sacrifice as being analogous to a "race" (cf. 1 Cor. 9:24; Gal. 5:7; 2 Tim. 4:7), wherein conversion is the starting line and the day of the Lord is the finish line. How you start is no as imporant as how you finish, though obviously you cannot finish without staring. Who puts blood on the door at dusk, but then goes down to frolic in the Nile before midnight? Who looks at the snake on the pole once, but then goes about tending to his wounds? The dead man does. The atonement only applies if faith is held unto the time of judgment. The scriptures leave no room for the popular notion of "once saved, always saved." -John P. Harrigan, The Gospel of Christ Crucified, p.236

The Godliness of a national leader has never been the prerequisite for God to move in mighty ways.

The humility of God’s people, coupled with prayer, has always been the prerequisite for God to move in mighty ways.

-Scott Volk

Spurgeon: “To live like Jesus most nearly concerns us; a triumphant death may be the crown, but a holy life is the head that must wear it.”

Jesus is the true and better Adam who passed the test in the garden. Jesus is also the true and better Abraham who answered the call of God to leave all the comfortable and familiar and go out into the void to create a new people of God. - Timothy Keller

Modern Christians should avoid the principal danger of Corinth, viz., an over-realized eschatology, which demands blessings that may not be ours till the end of the age. - DA Carson

John 17:3 "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus…"

The incarnate Christ revealed the Father more fully than anyone ever had understood. The essence of eternal life is to encounter the Father and the Son in a growing relationship. - Mike Bickle

My message on Psalm 18. Notes. Audio 1. Audio 2. 

“This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Acts 1:11

Love this. Long for this. Let this be the morning star of your days. -John Piper

“A man may easier see without eyes, speak without a tongue, than truly mortify one sin without the Spirit.” -John Owen

Samuel Rutherford: “Your time will not be long: make the seeking of Christ your daily task.”

"The greatest sorrow and burden you can lay on the Father, the greatest unkindness you can do to him is to not believe that he loves you." - John Owen "Communion with God"