In public, my dad was one of the great pastors of his generation. In private, my dad was the same man. There was only one Ray Ortlund, Sr. — an authentic Christian man. The distance between what I saw in the New Testament and what I saw in my dad was slight. He was the […]
Category Archives: Newsletter Articles
What the World Needs Now, Is Love, God’s Love by Adam Miller
I vividly remember studying through the epistles of the Apostle John in my first year of Bible college. For such a short series of books, it evoked a lot of debate. The central theme is love. At the time, we were high minded intellectuals, fresh out of high school and still in our teenage years. […]
Gospel Hope For a Weary Mom by Sarah Walton
I rose before the sun and made my coffee, desperate for time in God’s Word before the day’s chaos erupted in my home. I was emotionally weary and physically exhausted, but was determined to start my day off with what I knew I needed most – time with the Lord. So I grabbed my Bible, […]
A Word to the Wise by Adam Miller
Have you ever completely ignored the advice of your parents, only to end up regretting it later on in life? I broke my big toe while on a short term mission trip in Kenya when I was fifteen. When I went to the hospital to get a cast, they told me I would have to […]
EASTER SUNDAY: WHOM ARE YOU SEEKING? APRIL 12, 2020
EASTER SUNDAY: WHOM ARE YOU SEEKING? APRIL 12, 2020 READ: JOHN 20:1-21:25 “Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?’” – John 20:15 We’ve spent a week walking through the final days of Jesus, and now we get to the culmination of our time together. There have been plenty of […]
Ancient Truths, Ever New: The Story of an Easter Hymn by Micah Lovell
Christ the Lord is Risen Today When Christians gather together on Easter Sunday, they greet each other with an ancient phrase: “The Lord is risen”. Typically this is followed by a response: “He is risen, indeed.” Together, both will say “Alleluia”, which means “Praise to the Lord”. This greeting brings an affirmation of a truth […]
SATURDAY: APRIL 11, 2020
SATURDAY: APRIL 11, 2020 READ: JOHN 19:38-42 “So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.” – John 19:40 It was a dark day when Jesus died. The shadow of the cross was looming over all of His followers. Their […]
GOOD FRIDAY: IT IS FINISHED APRIL 10, 2020
GOOD FRIDAY: IT IS FINISHED APRIL 9, 2020 READ: JOHN 18:28-19:37 “This was to fulfill the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die.” – John 18:32 Throughout his account of the gospel, John sprinkles in these short little commentaries that give us a better insight […]
MAUNDY THURSDAY: THE HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER
MAUNDY THURSDAY: THE HIGH PRIESTLY PRAYER APRIL 9, 2020 READ: JOHN 17:1-18:27 “The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one.” – John 17:22 I love listening to people pray. I have this theory that people talk differently to God than they […]
WEDNESDAY: ABIDE IN CHRIST APRIL 8, 2020
WEDNESDAY: ABIDE IN CHRIST APRIL 8, 2020 READ: JOHN 15:1-16:33 “No longer do I call you servants…but I have called you friends.” – John 15:15 I’ve got some good news and some bad news for you. Which would you prefer? Since I don’t have time to wait for your response, I’ll just start with the […]
TUESDAY: BE COMFORTED APRIL 7, 2020
TUESDAY: BE COMFORTED APRIL 7, 2020 READ: JOHN 14:1-31 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” – John 14:6 This verse has been picked apart more than any of the other “I Am” statements in the Gospel of John. People get really offended by this exclusive claim of Christ. When I taught […]
MONDAY: LOVE ONE ANOTHER APRIL 6, 2020
MONDAY: LOVE ONE ANOTHER APRIL 6, 2020 READ: JOHN 13:1-38 “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:35 John’s rapid account of the gospel narrative wastes no time in getting to the point. Instead of giving us daily accounts of Jesus’ activities […]