This is an excerpt from the third chapter of By Water and the Word: God’s Gift of Baptism for You by Brian Thomas (1517 Publishing, 2026), pgs 52-60.
Even when the bitter places sink down deep into our bones, the Restorer never relinquishes his grip on you.
To Live Well is therefore not a general advice book, but a message suffused with the gospel.

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The church’s reformation is not about fragmentation, but a way forward to unity around that which is central to the church, around Christ and him crucified.
A little or a lot, great is the joy of the child of God for the meaning of life is not defined by stuff, but rather by the cross.
Honor would be shown to the least. Power would be shown by its opposite. The way of glory was marked with humility.
No work need be done to enter this Sabbath rest, for Christ has done all that is necessary.
The homiletical task of diminishing and debilitating mistrust begins, at every part of preaching, with the preacher.
Bo Giertz attained infamy in Sweden for a humble adherence to unpopular, orthodox practice and doctrine.
God will establish justice and righteousness even in the midst of the most uncertain and evil times. This we know because of the hope based upon the promise.
Jesus saves us from the love of money which sent the rich young man away sad.
Whereas Moses faithfully rescued God’s people from slavery in Egypt and led them to the Promised Land of Canaan, Jesus has rescued us from the slavery of sin and the tyranny of the Devil to lead us to eternal life.
Undershepherds of our shepherd go rejoicing as sheep among the lambs entrusted to us into God’s everlasting sheep pen, no shabby place to spend forever.
God and Jeremiah may have been looking at the same person, but they were seeing very different things.
Preaching is the first line of defense and catechetical offensive against these corrosive falsehoods.