Elijah's Tree

***Live wisely!*** It was true in 60 A.D. and it's true today--we live in evil days. Therefore we are called to "look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15

Elijah's Tree is a ministry for weary, discouraged and hurting pastors and missionaries that provides biblical care and counsel at no cost. We have counselees all over the U.S. and also overseas. Find out more on our website--

Elijah's Tree | Caring For Chaplains, Pastors, and Missionaries Elijah’s Tree vision is to provide personal shepherding through listening, saturation in God’s Word, and extended times of prayer, trusting the Lord to b

At the root-- self-idolatrous rejection of God and of absolute, objective truth. O LORD, please have mercy.

Lovingly remembering my mother today--a Godly, humble, sweet, praying, kind, loving mom, who went to be with her Savior last September at age 97. C

"Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD, or declare all his praise?" Psalm 106:2 ALL his praise?! It will take an eternity!

"Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name." Psalm 86:11 A fine lesson in hour to pray!

31 days to Good Friday. "'There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus' (Rom. 8:1). To be 'in Christ' means to be in relationship to him by faith. Faith unites us to Christ so that his death becomes our death and his perfection becomes our perfection. Christ becomes our punishment (which we don't have to bear) and our perfection (which we cannot perform). John Piper, The Passion of Jesus Christ

"Justification is not merely the cancellation of my unrighteousness. It is also the imputation of Christ's righteousness to me. I do not have a righteousness that commends me to God. My claim before God is this: 'not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ' (Phil. 3:9) John Piper, The Passion of Jesus Christ

"If we are saved from the consequences of our bad deeds, it will not be because they weighed less that our good deeds. It will be because the 'record' of our debt' in heaven has been nailed to the cross of Christ." (The Passion of Jesus Christ, John Piper)

"Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." Ephesians 5:15-16 A clear call to Christ-magnifying, gospel-displaying living today.

"The death of Christ is not only the demonstration of God's love (John 3:16), it is also the supreme expression of Christ's own love for all who receive him as their treasure." (John Piper, The Passion of Jesus Christ)

"I have heard it said, 'God didn't die for frogs. So he was responding to our value as humans.' This turns grace on it's head. We are worse than frogs. They have not sinned. God did not have to die for frogs. They aren't bad enough. We are. Our debt is so great, only a divine sacrifice could pay it." The Passion of Jesus Christ, John Piper

"When the Bible says, 'If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.' (1 Cor. 15:17), the point is not that the resurrection is the price paid for our sins. The point is that the resurrection proves that the death of Jesus is an all-sufficient price. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, then his death was a failure, God did not vindicate his sin-bearing achievement, and we are still in our sins." But in fact "Christ was raised from the de… See more

"If the Son of God had gone from incarnation to the cross without a life of temptation and pain to test his righteousness and his love, he would not be a suitable Savior for fallen man." (The Passion of Jesus Christ, John Piper)

"For our sake God did the impossible: He poured out his wrath on his own Son-the one whose submission made him infinitely unworthy to receive it. Yet the Son's very willingness to receive it was precious in God's sight. The wrath-bearer was infinitely loved." [The Passion of Jesus Christ, John Piper]

"The love of God does not rest with the curse that hangs over all sinful humanity. He is not content to show wrath, no matter how holy it is. Therefore God sends his own Son to absorb his wrath and bear the curse for all who trust him." {The Passion of the Christ, John Piper}

Here's a recommendation for a superb daily devotional series entitled Solid Joys by John Piper. The meditations are only three to four minutes in length and can be read or listened to. Sign up to receive Solid Joys at www.desiringgod.org and go to "Features".

Desiring God Find your joy in God with sermons, books, podcasts, video, and daily articles from the ministry of John Piper.

A quote from David McCullough's Brave Companions- "Harry Truman used to talk of Potomac Fever, an endemic disorder the symptoms of which were a swelled head and a general decline of common sense." This appears to still be the case in Washington.

Pray for the body of Christ in Ukraine.

Dear friends gave this new book to us-William Wilberforce: His Unpublished Spiritual Journals, edited by Michael D. McMullen. It is rich and meaty. Two of his sons wrote of him, "He used every help he could devise for keeping always on his soul a sense of the nearness and the goodness of God." A mind and heart entranced with God.

Next week we will be in Harlingen, TX doing Elijah's Tree ministry, including sharing with our counseling mentor, Dr. Ab Abercrombie, as he teaches his Intro to Biblical Counseling at Logos Community Church. Check out his website-- www.bcinstitute.com.

Become A Biblical Counselor | Biblical Counseling Institute Become A Biblical Counselor - Learn about our certification programs - live seminars and online training are both available. Find out more.

More from Bonhoeffer- "If we are to deal adequately with folly, we must try to understand its nature. This much is certain, that it is a moral rather than an intellectual defect."

From Bonhoeffer- "Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God."

"For evil to appear disguised as light, charity, historical necessity, or social justice is quite bewildering to anyone brought up on our traditional ethical concepts, while for the Christian who bases his life on the Bible it merely confirms the fundamental wickedness of evil." Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letters and Papers from Prison

The Eternal One--born a man-child;
In the fullness of time--by the Father sent;
Spirit-conceived--born of the virgin;
Delivered by His mother--a baby boy mild;
Delivered by the Father--for redemption meant.
The Immortal Dies
Christmas Poem, 2005, v. 1