In my previous post, we looked at how Christians should respond to other believers who differ in matters of conscience (e.g. wearing face masks, getting vaccines, etc.). We saw that we don’t use our freedom in these matters as an opportunity for division or pride, but rather to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13). We demonstrate love to one another by putting other’s interests above our own (Philippians 2:3-4). And so the law of love trumps division over differences of opinion on these issues. But how do we as believers respond to the world which differs from us (and not just in matters of conscience)? How do we glorify God in our response to a world that is often hostile to the church?...
The world is in turmoil right now. At the forefront of the uproar are the matters surrounding the coronavirus and justice. Camps have formed on these issues with gaping chasms dividing opinions. To further complicate matters, everything is politicized. Wearing a mask in public, posting certain slogans on social media, agreeing or disagreeing with the president or governor all automatically place you into a particular camp....
It is easy to overlook beautiful truths that can change our lives as we read the Bible. We may miss these truths because we are distracted or are so familiar with the text or simply because we don’t understand it. Or it could be that there is another incredible truth that we focus on that causes us to miss the other truth in the same passage. This is what happened to me as I read John 12:25-26...
They do wrong and evil. They know it and yet keep doing it. They even give approval to others who do it. This is Paul’s point in Romans 1:32: They do wrong. They know it’s wrong. They even condone such wrongs. If I were to discuss this with the average Christian, who would they think I was describing? Them. The culture. The world......
In my previous post , we looked at how trusting in the sovereignty of God leads to great comfort. He holds all things together (Colossians 1:15-16; Hebrews 1:2-3) and works all things according to the counsel of His will (Ephesians 1:11). In these truths, we find great comfort in any circumstance. But we don’t only have a God who is in control; we have a God who is here with us. In today’s post, we will consider four comforting truths of how the sovereign God is with us in our circumstances....
People often view prayer in simplistic terms: Prayer is about telling God what you want and waiting for Him to give it to you. Sure, you thank Him when He does what you want, and you give Him praise to make sure He’s listening, but prayer is a magic formula to make your life better and satisfy your desires. This popular conception runs into problems when your prayers aren’t answered the way you expect them to be. The question becomes what went wrong. Was God not listening? Was your faith too weak? Is God punishing you? ...
The coronavirus crisis has infected us with a myriad of what if questions. What if my elderly parents contract the disease? What if my high-risk wife gets sick? What if my kids catch it? What if I lose my job? What if I have to close my business and claim bankruptcy? What if a loved one dies? What if I die? ...
All of humanity is born with the innate ability to blame others for their problems. We are capable of surveying any problematic circumstance and finding someone or something to blame. Even if outwardly we profess ownership of a problem, we can find a way to justify our action or inaction inwardly. Perhaps it is not difficult for you to remember some recent issue that arose privately or publicly for which you have found a way to justify by thinking or stating that it was the fault of someone else. Indeed, if you have said, thought, or done something wrong, it must be due to another person or an external factor over which you had no control, right?...
When the world seems to be falling apart, people seek hope. They are looking for something to hold on to, anything that will help them get through their crisis. They are looking not only to weather the storm but to find themselves in an even better place than they had been. Hope is a powerful motivator and comfort, enabling us to survive and endure while we wait for the better days to come....
Our culture is a culture of more. Buy more things. Make more money to buy more things. Sign up for more activities. Be more relevant. Take up more hobbies. Be more connected. Work more hours. More. More. More. In a society that screams, “Do more. Be more. Spend more,” is it any wonder why being content seems impossible?...
Two thousands years ago Paul of Tarsus was in a jail cell in Rome writing a letter to his beloved church, the Philippians. The imprisonment wasn’t easy on him. Roman prisons were very different from ours. He relied on others for food and clothing. But as hard as it was physically, we can imagine it was even more so emotionally. He was separated from most people, torn abo...
Keep Reading
Our affections are important to God. The affections we have will be determinative of our actions, both today and for the remainder of the lives we have been granted here on earth. This is why, when asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus quotes from the book of Deuteronomy. “‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And he said to him, ‘You shall ...
Keep Reading
Yesterday was Good Friday. Tomorrow Jesus is going to rise. But Saturday he’s in the tomb. What is the significance of today? There’s many answers. Our God is a God of beautiful design and reasoning. This gospel plan...
Keep Reading
For many people, family ties are very important. The connection that we have with our parents, our siblings, our children, or other relatives is one we do not want to lose. Even where the whole family isn’t very close, we usually have one or two family members with whom we share a special bond. When a family relationship is broken, we are devastated. If we are able to re...
Keep Reading
These verses contain two of Jesus’s last seven sayings as He hung on the cross. They are the shortest of the sayings, consisting of only five words combined (and only two words total in the original Greek). But do not mistake the brevity of these sayings with having a shallow meaning. Rather these two words from Christ have profound meaning and implications....
Keep Reading
On the cross, suffering for the sins of the others, Jesus never forgot his mission. He came to fulfill the promise that had been given to Adam and Eve in the garden (Genesis 3:15), the words that had been given to the prophets, and the hope that had been in the hearts of God’s people. Jesus, speaking to Zacchaeus, spoke clearly about his Father-mandated mission, “For t...
Keep Reading
Our Lord’s words here tell a precious promise. A guilty, crucified criminal is heading to Paradise. The same day he’s punished for his crimes, he’s promised by his Creator to be in glory. How did such a drastic change of destinations come about for this thief? Why did Jesus say what he did?...
Keep ReadingWill Our Marriages Become a Casualty of the Coronavirus? As we have seen on a daily basis, the threat of the Coronavirus is not just medical, not just financial, not just emotional, but if not prayerfully and humbly addressed, this threat could also become marital as well. While we pray against any casualties in our battle against this Coronavirus, we need to also pray o...
Keep Reading
In preparation for Good Friday, I have been looking over the readings for the Tenebrae service. The first reading is from Psalm 2. It is a psalm that in its historical context referred to the rightful Davidic king of Israel, but has been seen throughout history as referring to the Messiah. To some it seems out of place on Good Friday, with its insistence on the right of Go...
Keep Reading
We see over and over how people or symbols in the Old Testament point to a greater fulfillment in Christ. Some person or object in the Old Testament imperfectly exhibits a characteristic, office, or function that foreshadows its perfect realization in Jesus. For instance, the first created man, Adam, was always pointing to the last Adam, who is Christ (1 Corinthians 15:45-...
Keep Reading