Coram Deo ~

Looking at contemporary culture from a Christian worldview

THIS & THAT: A Gathering of Favorite Articles and Quotes

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  • How We Can Pursue Joy in the Midst of Suffering? In this video, John Piper shares how we can pursue joy in the midst of suffering.
  • Sabbath. After completing His work of creating the world, God rested—but not because He got tired and needed a break. On this episode of Simply Put, Barry Cooper explains how the Sabbath reminds us to regularly rest in God and enjoy the ultimate rest that He has given His people in Christ.
  • Hospitality: What it is, and What it’s Not. Rosaria Butterfield addresses this question in this short video.
  • How to Study the Bible. In this message, R.C. Sproul will introduce some of the more important tools and concepts that are necessary in order to properly study and understand the Bible.
  • What Did You Give Up When You Became a Christian? Tim Challies writes “You have exchanged what is fleeting for what is lasting and what brings death for what brings life.”

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  • Favorite Quotes of the Week


  • Ben Sasse on Life, Cancer, and the Gospel. Before entering public office, Ben Sasse served as the Director of White Horse Inn and Executive Editor of Modern Reformation at Sola Media. On February 7, 2026, he joined longtime friends Michael Horton and Dan Bryant to discuss his cancer diagnosis, the early days of Sola Media, and the hope of the gospel.

  • How Should Christians Interpret Old Testament Laws in Light of the New Testament? James Hamilton answers this question in this episode of Honest Answers.
  • Waiting is the Hardest Part. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the questions that read in part “As I read Psalm 40 again, I notice the psalmist describes himself being lifted out of the pit and set on a solid rock, with a new song put in his mouth (verses 2–3). How can I understand this image as God’s deliberate action in my own life, as something I would perceive when it happens?”
  • What Does It Mean That Jesus Is “Where Two or Three Are Gathered” in His Name? What does Jesus mean when He promises, “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am among them”? Joel Kim examines this often-quoted passage from Matthew 18, considering its context and significance for the life of the church.
  • Hope for Screwups. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the question that reads in part “I’m 26 and really struggling with whether I can ever come back to God after how badly I messed up. How do you come back from betraying everything you once stood for? Is there any hope?”
  • How Can The Church Raise Up People for Ministry? In this video, Joel Kim explains how churches can identify and encourage young people with godly character to pursue ministry.
  • How Does the Holy Spirit Help Me Pray? How does the Holy Spirit help Christians to pray? From the 2023 Ligonier National Conference, Michael Reeves describes the ministry of the Spirit in shaping our minds and our hearts in prayer.
  • Why Smart People Reject God. On this episode of the Ask Pastor John podcast, John Piper responds to the questions “In Romans 1:19–20in our reading today, Paul writes, What can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So, they are without excuse. “If God’s existence is said to be clearly revealed through creation, then why do so many people, including perhaps ourselves, still feel that God is silent or hidden? Why doesn’t God give us a more personal and unmistakable sign? Could the issue lie not with God’s clarity but with our capacity or willingness to see? How does sin, distraction, or spiritual blindness affect our perception of God’s self-revelation?”
  • What is Covenant Theology? In this video, Derek Thomas provides a brief description of covenant theology.
  • What Does It Mean To Be Reformed? On this episode of Wisdom Wednesday, Dr. Bob Cara answers this question.


  • The real significance of meditation lies in its capacity to transform mere thoughts about God and the things of God into heartfelt, soul-stirring, life-transforming convictions about the same. Matthew Bingham
  • God does not prevent storms from coming. But He is a God who is both present through them and sovereign over them. Alistair Begg
  • A short life is long enough to prepare for eternity. John Owen
  • You cannot know how to live until you’ve settled the question of how to die. Tomorrow is not promised to any of us, but eternity is guaranteed to every follower of the one who is the resurrection and the life. Alistair Begg
  • What is the simple solution to the boring routine of saying the same old things about the same old things? Here it is: when you pray, pray through a passage of Scripture, particularly a psalm. Donald Whitney
  • Whenever God means to use a man for big things, he breaks him into little pieces first. Charles Spurgeon
  • Those that hate to be refined by the fire of divine grace will undoubtedly be ruined by the fire of divine wrath. Matthew Henry
  • The gospel turns the duty of doing and experiencing God’s will into a delight. Sinclair Ferguson
  • Christ said, “It is finished!” and by that He meant that whatever His people owed was wiped away forever from the book of remembrance. Charles Spurgeon

Author: Bill Pence

I’m Bill Pence – married to my best friend Tammy, a graduate of Covenant Theological Seminary, St. Louis Cardinals and Illinois State University Men’s Basketball fan, formerly a manager at a Fortune 50 organization, and in leadership at my local church for thirty years. I am a life-long learner and have a passion to help people develop, and to use their strengths to their fullest potential. I am an INTJ on Myers-Briggs, 3 on the Enneagram, my top five Strengthsfinder themes are: Belief, Responsibility, Learner, Harmony, and Achiever, and my two StandOut strength roles are Creator and Equalizer. My favorite book is the Bible, with Romans my favorite book of the Bible, and Colossians 3:23 and 2 Corinthians 5:21 being my favorite verses and Romans 8 my favorite chapter of the Bible. Some of my other favorite books are The Holiness of God and Chosen by God by R.C. Sproul, and Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper. I enjoy music in a variety of genres, including modern hymns and classic rock. My books Called to Lead: Living and Leading for Jesus in the Workplace, A Leader Worth Following: 40 Key Leadership Attributes and Applications to Master, and Tammy’s book Study, Savor and Share Scripture: Becoming What We Behold are available in paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon. Go to amazon.com/author/billpence or amazon.com/author/tammypence

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