Written by: April J. Buchanan They did not hurt you. They told you the truth, and your heart was set against it. It felt like harm because the truth stood in direct opposition to your feelings and your delusions. It exposed your pride. It spoke what Scripture says about you, not the Joel Osteen version…

Written by: April J. Buchanan Scripture does not change. That is beautiful. It is such comfort. It does not change for me. It does not change for my circumstances. It does not change for my whims and desires. I am prone to change. Sometimes that is good. Sometimes not so much. But what stands firm,…

Written by: April J. Buchanan Twisting Scripture to Avoid Correction In an effort to avoid biblical correction and accountability, those who preach false doctrine will often cite verses—sometimes only in part—like John 15:20 to make themselves appear as victims of those warning of their false teachings. John 15:20 says, “Remember the word that I said…

Written by: April J. Buchanan The Danger of Universalism in Times of Grief When we imagine men in heaven who lived their lives in rebellion toward God, who gave no evidence of regeneration, who treated God’s Word as a mere object to appreciate rather than as the authoritative Word of God, and who reduced God…

Written by: April J. Buchanan A Friendly Reminder A friendly reminder, saint: Turn on the lights, turn off the music, and separate yourself from the antics that seek to hype you up and disengage your mind. Now, read the transcript. If you were to read the words that have been spoken, would it produce in…

Written by: April J. Buchanan The Danger of Pride in Belief If you think, “I could never be deceived,” you reveal that you think far too highly of yourself and far too little of the warnings God gives in Scripture. Pride whispers, “I could never.” If we believe we could never be misled, we will…

Written by: April J. Buchanan Preaching the Word, Not Feelings If I could sit with you over coffee and we opened our Bibles to the text our pastors preached yesterday, could you walk me through the text and show me where it says and means what your pastor taught? Could I go to the text…

Written by: April J. Buchanan The Purifying Power of God’s Word The most purifying effect on the church is the Word of God faithfully exposited. It produces godliness, holiness, purity, love, and unity. The Holy Spirit works through God’s Word, rightly opened and proclaimed. Sound doctrine leads to sound living. Sound doctrine leads to high…

Written by: April J. Buchanan If all our holiness is merely external—putting off and putting on, doing and not doing—then we are no better than the Pharisees. If our righteousness is not that of perfection, then we are most to be pitied. But if we stand in the righteousness of another—the righteousness of Christ—then though…