I will love them freely. (Hosea 14:4)

How much does your love cost? How much do you extract from someone in return for your love? How many diamonds must he buy to secure your love? How beautiful does she have to make herself to guarantee your continued love? How obedient do your children have to be to ensure your love? How many toys do your parents have to buy you to make you love them? How much does your love cost?

How much does God’s love cost? How much do we have to give Him? How much do we have to pay Him? How much do we have to do or say? How many laws do we have to keep? And for how long? The answer to all these questions is zero—nothing—nil. “I will love them freely.”

This is written over every page of God’s dealings with sinners. When we look at Abraham or Moses or David, we hear God saying, “I will love them freely.” When we look at Peter or Thomas or Saul of Tarsus, we hear, “I will love them freely.” When we see God’s people restored to God’s land, we hear, “I will love them freely.” When we see Christ with arms outstretched on Calvary’s cross, we hear, “I will love them freely.” When the Holy Spirit is poured out on Christ’s crucifiers at Pentecost, we hear, “I will love them freely.” Throughout all church history, the church has heard, “I will love them freely.”

And what about your own life, child of God? Is not “I will love you freely,” written above it? How much did God’s love cost you? How much did you pay for a godly upbringing? How much did you pay for faithful pastors? What was the price of your justification? How much for your adoption? Sanctification? Zero—nothing—nil. “I will love them freely.” If freely you have received, then freely give.

Blogs

Don’t Write Just to Get Published
“As much as writing is tethered to publishing, getting published doesn’t make a writer. Writing makes a writer.”

Don’t Waste Your Hospital Visitation
“After more than fifteen years of pastoral ministry in Kansas City, there are not many hospitals that I have not visited. This ministry has played a vital role in my long-term pastorate at The Master’s Community Church.”

How Much Should a Pastor or Elder Tell His Wife?
“After years of mistakes, I now think through three questions before sharing any information about issues or people in the church with my wife.”

10 Things You should Know about General Revelation
“Because of our focus on the inspiration and inerrancy of God’s written revelation, the Bible (i.e., Special Revelation), we often tend to ignore the other ways in which God has made himself known more generally to all mankind. Theologians call this General Revelation. What is it and why is it important that we understand what is meant by it?”

Why We Should Be Grateful for Flourishing Evangelical Seminaries
“New data reveals that the largest seminaries in America are those that are most orthodox and evangelical. ”

America’s Lost Boys | Samuel D. James | First Things
Where have America’s young men gone? According to Erik Hurst, an economist from the University of Chicago, they’re playing video games.”

Kindle Books

For your non-Kindle book buying needs please consider using Reformation Heritage Books in the USA and Reformed Book Services in Canada. Good value prices and shipping.

Gospel Assurance and Warnings by Paul Washer $2.99.

The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission: Promoting the Gospel with more than our Lips by John Dickson $3.99.

New Book

The Family Life of a Christian Leader by Ajith Fernando

Anyone involved in Christian ministry knows how challenging it is to balance ministry and family responsibilities. Many demands pull leaders in different directions—making it easy to neglect one or the other, often without even realizing it. Writing from decades of counseling and personal ministry experience, Ajith Fernando points Christian leaders back to the most important aspect of their lives: their relationship with God. He then offers practical guidance for responding to real-life situations in the home, including disciplining children, dealing with disappointment, loving one’s spouse, and pursuing joy. This book presents Christian leaders with a healthy and God-centered understanding of family that leads to a flourishing home.

Video

Dr. Ian Hamilton talks about one of his favorite Banner books, and why Christians should consider reading it for themselves.

I will heal their backsliding. (Hosea 14:4)

One word describes Israel’s history: backsliding. Two words describe God’s response: chastising and healing. Most of Hosea’s message was about the backsliding and the chastising, but here his theme moves on to the healing.

Hosea’s prophecies tell us that backsliding is very common. Octavius Winslow said, “There is a tendency to secret, perpetual, and alarming departure from God.” Backsliding requires no effort. You don’t need to do anything to slip away; it is such a gradual process that it is usually unnoticed until it is too late. And this despite preachers like Hosea pointing it out so clearly.

It usually begins in the heart. Love for God and His people diminishes. Reverence for the Bible decreases. Enjoyment of prayer evaporates. Delight in the Lord’s Day fades. It is like an ant removing sand, one grain at a time, from one side of a set of scales to the other. No change is noticed until suddenly the scales tip. Church activity and service may cover up the worrying inward reality for a time, but when the scales eventually tip, outward moral catastrophe is usually imminent. And, as Israel discovered, backsliding and its eventual chastisement is a miserable experience.

Remember Bunyan’s erring pilgrim who had to go back for his mislaid scroll—he ended up covering the same road three times, and it was dangerously late and dark when he finally arrived exhausted at his lodgings. Ask Naomi how bitter backsliding is (Ruth 1:20-21). Ask the prodigal son how depressing backsliding is (Luke 15:17).

But, and here is great encouragement, backsliding can be healed—not by the backslider but by the Lord. “I will heal their backsliding.” No one can return from backsliding except through the merciful intervention of Christ. Look at Peter weeping bitterly over his declension and desertion. Who can restore him? “Go tell the disciples, and Peter…” (Mark 16:7). The Lord intervenes to heal his backsliding. So Israel, and so you, backslidden Christian, look to Christ as the great Healer of backsliding. True grace is indestructible. It may decay but it can never die. Bring your faint embers and remaining sparks to the Lord and say, “Heal my backsliding. Fan my embers into flame.”

Blogs

7 Ways to Stop Gossip
“I’m listing 7 suggestions for stopping, or at least slowing, the spread of gossip. Will you consider each and internalize them – as needed? If the shoe fits will you wear it? Together, perhaps we can help stop the deadly spread of this harmful virus!”

The Excommunicated Member Who Thanked Me
“The only stories you ever hear about church discipline are the bad ones. That’s partly because there are lots of ways to foul it up, but also because the good stories are six years in the making. The good stories don’t make headlines. Church discipline, when rightly practiced and graced by God, “yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Heb. 12:11) in those chastened by it. And when they come back to say “thank you,” it’s not a history-making moment. It’s just an another evidence of God’s redeeming grace.”

Rediscovering J. C. Ryle’s ‘Holiness’
“Have we become distracted by politics, controversy, party spirit, and the world? Has our standard of living fallen painfully below the New Testament standard? Have we failed to beautify our profession with our daily habits and tempers? If so, then we still need J. C. Ryle’s Holiness.”

Jesus on the Job: How Faith Mixes With Work, Part 1
“Church leaders, we need to understand that we are meant to equip all of our people for participation in God’s mission. I am convinced that participation in the mission necessitates bringing everything under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, including our jobs.”

Why did I take the whole month of July off from all ministry?
“I needed to step away completely for the purpose of rest and a needed “gut check” in several areas of my life. I took the entire month of July off.  Unplugged from all ministry, including all social media.  This was not a sabbatical, but pure vacation for a whole month. We just stayed home.  Here are 10 areas I felt I needed to address during this time off:”

Happiness in Christ, Even Through Depression and Sorrow
Randy Alcorn reflects on the steps he took to overcome depression in his life.

New Book

Every Season Prayers: Gospel Centered Prayers for the Whole of Life by Scotty Smith.

Kindle Books

The God I Don’t Understand: Reflections on Tough Questions of Faith by Christopher Wright $3.99.

Becoming Worldly Saints: Can you Serve Jesus and Still Enjoy Your Life? by Michael Wittmer $3.99.

 Proof: Finding Freedom Through the Intoxicating Joy of Irresistible Grace by Daniel Montgomery $3.99.

O death, I will be your plagues. (Hosea 13:14)

Disease brings death, and the grave destroys. But here God promises a radical reversal. Death will be diseased and the grave will be destroyed. Israel’s enemies will themselves be defeated and Israel will be released.

Paul borrows this language and the principle behind it to anticipate the ultimate victory of the Christian over death: “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory?” (1 Cor. 15:54 –55).

This great climactic victory will be seen in all its glory on the day of the general resurrection of all God’s people. As the Lord Jesus comes to claim the precious dust of His saints and to transform them to be like unto His glorious body, He shouts, “O death, I will be your plagues; O grave, I will be your destruction.”

But we need not wait until then to see foreshadows of this victory. Every time a Christian defeats the fear of death and its soul-paralyzing power by trusting in Christ to save his body and soul from death, the victory shout is heard, “O death, I will be your plagues; O grave, I will be your destruction.”

Every time a Christian faces terminal illness and death with faith and confidence in Christ, death is plagued and the grave’s power is destroyed.

Every time a persecuted Christian faces the firing squad and looks heavenward with peace and confidence, all heaven celebrates the victory, “O death, I will be your plagues; O grave, I will be your destruction.”

As you face your own end in this world, may this great divine “I will” make death and the grave weaken and wither before you. May you look forward to the day of full and final victory when “[w]e shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed” (1 Cor. 15:51–52).

Blogs

The citizenship I need to cling to now more than ever
Canadian citizen, Aaron Armstrong, reflects on his move to the USA.

Preacher’s Toolkit: How Long Should My Sermons Be?
“How long should a sermon be? As a preaching professor and a pastor, I’ve asked and been asked that question a hundred times. Today, after 35 years in ministry, I have a definitive answer: You can preach as long as you hold their attention.”

3 Reasons Why Pastors Neglect Leadership Development
“Here are three reasons pastors neglect making leadership development a priority in their churches:”

The Story of Iran’s Church in Two Sentences
“More Iranians have become Christians in the last 20 years than in the previous 13 centuries put together.”

Our Caveat Emptor Vacation
I thought I was the only person this happens to.

10 Practical Ways to Boost Your Energy Level
“In recent years, I’ve been very deliberate about managing my energy level. I’ve done a lot of reading on this and have taken the time to learn and experiment with what works.”

3 Types of Legalism
“Because Christianity is concerned with morality, righteousness, and ethics, we can easily make that subtle move from a passionate concern for godly morality into legalism if we are not careful.”

3 Dangers of Preaching in a Digital Age
“Pastors are called to herald the eternal Word of God. But in a digital age, our words feel eternal. They’re recorded; they’re transmittable; they seemingly last forever. And that pattern introduces a number of pressures—most of them unconscious—to the preacher’s task. Here are three.”

Kindle Books

What’s Best Next by Matt Perman $3.99.

Atheism Remix: A Christian Confronts the New Atheists by Al Mohler $3.99.

Reasons We Believe: 50 Lines of Evidence That Confirm the Christian Faith $4.99.