understand their hearts.

The heart of our faith is not how to be good enough to earn eternal life. The heart of our faith is the One who was good enough. Jesus is incarnate to be our Savior. He lived the life we could not live; He lived without sin so that we could have righteousness. He died the death we could not die; He laid down His life on the cross to deliver us from the guilt and condemnation of our sin. He was raised to life for our justification. Even now He prays for us at the Father’s right hand.

This hope of grace, forgiveness, salvation, and empowerment is truth that our children (and we ourselves) always need. As you correct and disciple, always hold the hope of the gospel before your children. We deny the gospel when we tell children they can be good in their own strength. The encouragement of Hebrews 2:17 is that Jesus who, as a man, suffered being tempted, can help us in our temptations.

Deuteronomy 6:5 captures this truth: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” Your love for God, your joy in Him, and your gratitude and satisfaction for all that God is to you in Christ are important truths for you to model for your children. The next verses capture how essential this modeling is: “These words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children” (Deut. 6:6–7).

Each day, as you live with your children, you are presenting a view of reality. You are showing them that you believe that God is good and the rewarder of those who seek Him. By loving God and others, you model the truth that the law of God is good. As you make a priority of worship, you tell them that life is found in God. When you are kind to people who are unkind, you show the magnanimity and kindness of God. Everything you do provides a narrative of truth for your children.

Your submission to God in all things, your honesty about the ways your heart is prone to wander, and your hope in the grace of the gospel all provide a narrative for your children. Raising children for God is some of the greatest work you will ever do.

: Editor's Note: This article was originally published on September 9, 2024.

God tells us in His Word to address him as “Abba,” the Aramaic word meaning “Father.” Today, Barry Cooper considers God’s unqualified goodness as our heavenly Father.

God is not made up of separate parts, such as wisdom, power, and holiness. All of His attributes are simply who He is in His essence. Today, Sinclair Ferguson describes the marvelous doctrine of divine simplicity.

coming king remained unfulfilled in the Old Testament. But they come into spectacular view in the New Testament. It is to this story of the kingdom in the New Testament that we now turn our attention.

: See, e.g., Richard L. Pratt Jr., Designed for Dignity: What God Has Made It Possible for You to Be, 2nd ed. (P&R, 2000), 23–38; and G.K. Beale, The Temple and the Church’s Mission: A Biblical Theology of the Dwelling Place of God, New Studies in Biblical Theology 17 (IVP, 2004), 81–87.

: Ridderbos, The Coming of the Kingdom, trans. H. de Jongste, ed. Raymond O. Zorn (Presbyterian and Reformed, 1962), xii–xxxii.

: 3 On this and the role of the judges, see Bruce K. Waltke with Charles Yu, An Old Testament Theology: An Exegetical Canonical and Thematic Approach (Zondervan, 2007), 588–623.

: Herman Bavinck, The Wonderful Works of God: Instruction in the Christian Religion According to the Reformed Confession, trans. Henry Zylstra (Westminster Seminary Press, 2019), 74.

A pastor who does not submit to the Bible as his final authority is a menace to the kingdom of God. Today, R.C. Sproul insists that the supremacy of Scripture is nonnegotiable in ministry and in the Christian life.

Let us never forget the breathtaking privilege and wonder of knowing God. Today, Sinclair Ferguson identifies the first lesson we must learn when thinking about our Creator: humility.

Are you making plans for your fall Sunday school curriculum? Or looking for a trusted resource to help your church pass down the Christian faith to the next generation?

For a limited time, save an additional 20% on Growing in God’s Word, a Bible curriculum from Ligonier to help churches, families, and schools teach children the story of Scripture with clarity and confidence.

With 52 lesson plans, this teacher’s resource equips you to guide the next generation confidently through the Word of God. Use code GROW20 at checkout to secure your savings.

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A Teacher’s Guide 52 Bible Lessons Suggested Prayers Learning Activities Optional Catechism Questions

Whether you’re preparing for a new school year, teaching Sunday school, or looking for a new homeschool curriculum, Growing in God’s Word helps you engage children with the Bible’s transformative story.

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Use code GROW20 at checkout to save an additional 20%. Don’t delay—this sale ends Tuesday, June 30, at midnight ET.

When we become Christians, we come under the lordship of Christ. Today, Sinclair Ferguson exhorts us to lift our eyes to our heavenly King, who is subduing all things to Himself.

while David reflected the life of Christ, he (like all of us) was a sinner in need of Christ. His adultery with Bathsheba and his subsequent murder of her husband Uriah (2 Sam. 11) remind us that even a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14) is not immune to falling into great sin. David’s house was troubled with conflict and rebellion from that time forward, but the “sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Sam. 23:1) left us with a genuine example of the heart of true repentance (Ps. 51) and the assurance that God is gracious and forgiving toward all those who call upon Him in faith (Ps. 145).

David’s love and longing for God are captured in some of the most beautiful images of Scripture that continue to guide and strengthen our faith today. It would be impossible to quantify how much comfort God’s people have derived over the centuries from Psalm 23 as each believer has made his journey through the valley of the shadow of death to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. But David’s greatest legacy is that he foresaw and foreshadowed the Lord Jesus Christ. David’s life and his psalms continue to point us to his greater Son.

The world may entice us to play loosely with our promises, but God demands that we be people of our word. Today, R.C. Sproul underscores the gravity of our oaths and vows in the sight of the Lord.

are absent.

True Understanding

Even when we manage to step out of our comfort zone to assist the caregivers in our churches, our busy attitudes often prevent us from understanding their needs. Trina, who spent years caring for her husband during his struggle with dementia and cancer, has sad memories of people limiting their prayers to the healing of cancer, while both she and her husband thought God had allowed it as a merciful end to his rapid mental decline. No one prayed for her and their children with her present.

“We needed endurance and had concerns about pain relief, end of life decisions, and other issues,” she said. “People need to listen to or read the prayer requests and pray for those things, particularly in the hearing of the patient and caregiver. We need to feel heard by those we look to for support. And their prayers must support reality, not the wishes of the one praying.”

Many parents of people with a serious mental condition have told me they mostly need acceptance, understanding, hope, and love—including love and true appreciation for the person needing care. “Caretakers become responsible not merely for their loved ones’ physical care, but also to help them see a continuing purpose in their lives,” Trina told me. “I needed to remind my husband that he was an image bearer who could still bless his family. It’s important to thank our loved ones for how they bless us and go before us. I am realizing more and more what my husband’s example of suffering means to me and those who witnessed it intimately.” The church can assist in this work of appreciation.

Love, understanding, and appreciation require a commitment of time that is rare in a pragmatic society that emphasizes quick solutions. If we visit a person in need, we often feel compelled to resolve their problems or at least provide useful suggestions. Yet, this might be the worst thing we can do for people who have been trying to navigate, through a careful exercise of wisdom and attention to professional advice, the complexity of their situation.

The best thing to do is to be present as faithful friends, ready to stick around, listen, and learn. Getting involved in the lives of caregivers and their loved ones may seem like a sacrifice, but it’s well worth it for everyone involved. If we are convinced that “the body does not consist of one member but of many” (1 Cor. 12:14), and each is necessary for the building up of the church, we will treat each other as such and—in the process—grow in maturity, love, and wisdom.

Satan, the world, and our own flesh may condemn us, but we have a Great High Priest in heaven who is interceding on our behalf. Today, Sinclair Ferguson comes to one of the most encouraging verses in the Bible.

What has Jesus been doing since His ascension into heaven? And what is He doing right now? Today, Sinclair Ferguson considers the ongoing prophetic ministry of Christ as His Word is read and preached.

Creeds, Confessions, and Catechisms: A Reader’s Edition (Crossway, 2022).

: E.g., Ernst Lohmeyer, “Our Father”: An Introduction to the Lord’s Prayer, trans. John Bowden (Harper & Row, 1965), 195, 203–6; and Raymond E. Brown, “The Pater Noster as an Eschatological Prayer,” Theological Studies 22 (1961): 205.

: See Vos, Teaching of Jesus, 36; see also Ridderbos, Coming of the Kingdom, 107–8.

The biblical doctrine of predestination makes it clear that our salvation rests entirely on the grace of God. Today, R.C. Sproul reminds us that as Christians, we have nothing to boast about in and of ourselves.

Growing up today feels like walking on unstable ground. Fake content floods our screens. Conflicting voices call for our approval. Friends change and let us down. In all the uncertainty and anxiety of life, how can we know what’s real? And more than that, who can we trust?

The Always Ready youth conference from Ligonier Ministries invites teenagers to step out of the confusion and into the clarity of Scripture. Together, we’ll explore why we can put our trust in God, His Word, and His gospel. Here is solid ground for real confidence and hope in Christ.

During this full day of biblical teaching and fellowship, join with Christians ages 12–18 to lay the foundation for a life that’s anchored and steadfast to the glory of God.

Ligonier Ministries has entered a joyful partnership with Joni and Friends as part of our Study Bibles for the World campaign.

Many of you are likely familiar with Joni Eareckson Tada. She has been a longtime friend of Dr. R.C. Sproul and Ligonier Ministries, and she has given her testimony at our national conference in years past. The organization she founded, Joni and Friends, works to bring practical assistance and gospel hope to people with disabilities and their families around the world.

Now, through Ligonier’s Study Bibles for the World campaign, we have the opportunity to bring the Reformation Study Bible to pastors who are ministering to people with disabilities and their families.

Watch this brief video as president of Joni and Friends, Shawn Thornton, and I discuss this new avenue to equip the global church—all made possible through the support of friends like you.

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In many parts of the world where living conditions are challenging and false teaching is rampant, few pastors are well equipped to preach a biblical theology of suffering. For Christians struggling with disabilities, this can be devastating.

Now we have the opportunity to send a one-volume theological library through Joni and Friends’ extensive distribution networks to equip pastors on the front lines of the Great Commission.

1 John 3:17–18 conveys the importance of rendering assistance as a show of our Christian unity and our love for one another in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. We’re honored by this opportunity to support the pastors and leaders who are ministering to our suffering brothers and sisters around the world.

Will you pray for this new partnership with Joni and Friends as we seek to serve God’s people in more places? Thank you for your support of Ligonier as we seek to strengthen the global church together.

Even the least technical among us are being pressed from all sides by advances in digital technology. We rely upon computers, cell phones, and the Internet for communication, commerce, and entertainment. Yet even though we live in this “instant message” culture, many of us feel disconnected, and we question if all this technology is really good for our souls.In a manner that’s accessible, thoughtful, and biblical, author Tim Challies addresses questions such as:-How has life—and faith—changed now that everyone is available all the time through mobile phones?-How does our constant connection to these digital devices affect our families and our church communities?-What does it mean that almost two billion humans are connected by the Internet … with hundreds of millions more coming online each year?Providing the reader with a framework they can apply to any technology, Tim Challies explains how and why our society has become reliant on digital technology, what it means for our lives, and how it impacts the Christian faith.on digital technology, what it means for our lives, and how it impacts the Christian faith.

How should a local church be organized? Does everyone in any given church have the same role, or do particular people have particular responsibilities? Today, Barry Cooper explores what Scripture says about leadership in the local church.

fathom why God would send judgment when so many other prophets proclaimed peace (Jer. 4:10). God then made clear that He did not send those prophets. Indeed, the people’s sin was so enslaving that they could not repent and judgment was inevitable (Jer. 6:10; 21:1–10). Jeremiah then struggled with the incessant persecution he faced and complained that God was being unfaithful to His promise to deliver him (Jer. 15:18). In response, God rebuked His prophet and insisted that His promise is true (Jer. 15:19–21). But the persecutions continued. Like Job, Jeremiah then cursed the day he was born (Jer. 20:14–18; see also Job 3:1). Jeremiah embodied the sorrow and despair of Judah.

But Jeremiah’s life was not merely a story of suffering and despair. The prophet who once cursed the day he was born eventually became a hero of faith, continuing to boldly speak the truth even at great cost to himself (see chs. 37–44). Moreover, Jeremiah also had a message of “building and planting,” which would overcome the plucking up and breaking down (Jer. 1:10; 31:28). The third analogy is thus between Jeremiah and Jesus. Jeremiah’s life foreshadowed the victory over sin that Jesus would win through His willingness to suffer for His people.

Like the suffering servant in Isaiah 53, Jeremiah was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter (Jer. 11:19). Though Jeremiah was thrown in the muddy pit like the innocent sufferer of the Psalms (Jer. 38:6; Ps. 69:2), he trusted God, and God delivered him. The last we hear of Jeremiah, he was forcibly taken to Egypt with wicked Judeans who reviled his preaching and refused to repent (Jer. 42–44). Truly, he made his grave with the wicked (Isa. 53:9).

And yet, his words emerge from beyond the grave, and they speak of a hope and a future that transcends the terrible judgment that the Lord brought on His people (Jer. 29:11). At the center of Jeremiah’s book about God’s demolition of the old covenant stands a glowing promise of a new and better covenant that finally includes the power to repent and obey with all the heart and soul (Jer. 31:31–34). In this new and better covenant, God would reverse all the curses of judgment: There would be a new king ruling over a new people in a renewed land with renewed worship (see chs. 30–33). All these amazing promises come about through Jesus Christ, the true and better Jeremiah, who not only died for His people, but who was raised and ever lives to intercede for them.

Jesus is no ordinary king: He sits on the throne of heaven and earth. Today, Sinclair Ferguson shows the connection between Adam’s loss of dominion and Christ’s ascension to the Father’s right hand.

What meaning can Christianity still have if we discard the historical resurrection of Jesus? None whatsoever. Today, R.C. Sproul declares that Christ’s empty tomb is essential to our faith, our ethics, and our hope.