Pain

Having a daughter with paralysis, I understand the blessing of pain. Without the ability to feel pain, both physical and emotional, we would run headlong into destructive situations. The pain of guilt is a classic example. We usually feel that something is wrong, because something is wrong. We often feel

Assessing Motives

Unfortunately Christians these days routinely and confidently assert their supposed insight into the thoughts and motives of those with whom they disagree. God’s people are regrettably mirroring the practice of the world by all too often claiming to know what others are thinking. While it is common to routinely impugn motives

Reading Good Books

It is hard to miss the connection between a growing body of Christ’s disciples and their love for reading theologically stimulating Christian books. Of course God’s people are to be a “people of the Book”, but thriving Christians and vibrant congregations have always been “people who ingest lots of books”! Remember Paul’s requisition to Timothy from prison:

I’m for Christ

In his parable of differing “soils” Jesus specifies some of the reasons certain people initially embrace Christianity, often with a great deal of enthusiasm and fervor, but then after a while bail out never to establish a root system which bears genuine and lasting fruit. Those identified as the first to leave do so because of

The End

Part of the reason God gave us divine revelation about the next life is to motivate us in this one. Some have said Christians can be “so heavenly minded, they are no earthly good.” But as C.S. Lewis rightly pointed out, Christians are no earthly good until they are heavenly minded. Until we digest

Fight

If you knew that you had to engage in a street fight with someone today, you’d prepare. Not wanting to fight wouldn’t help if the fight were inevitable. Ignoring the fight would only ensure your loss. The Bible says that you are in a daily battle for the control of your words. Scripture warns that your

Be Strong!

We intuitively prefer strength to weakness. And we should. It is a biblical virtue to possess the strength to resiliently face life’s challenges and to “bear up under the pain” we all inevitably encounter (1Pet.2:19; Eph.6:10-13). Thankfully God is desirous of granting his children

Good News

To trust in Jesus as the sole provision for my acceptance before God is the essence of the gospel. But by definition this gospel cannot be the same as a gospel which allows you to trust in Jesus plus something else. Many are glad when they find those who “love Jesus” and are quick to consider them

All In

Life really does necessitate that we decide who or what we are going to serve. The words of Joshua are perpetually relevant as he turned to the people and said, “choose for yourselves this day who you will serve… but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Josh.24:15). Without a resolute decision...

Help Me

As you read through the Psalms you will see the repeated, simple and effective prayer of a righteous man. It is a prayer I hope you pray regularly. It is a prayer that reveals your heart of dependence on God for your life, your protection and your future. I mentioned that this prayer is simple. Actually it is extremely simple...

Responsive to Conviction

It is our natural, fallen tendency to make excuses. Our human propensity is to try to squirm out from under the weight of all those unpleasant feelings, concerning what we are doing or saying and when we are pondering something unrighteous or unholy. Because sanctification is a process, and because perfect personal holiness will not be achieved until...

Mentally Engaged

So much of what goes on in the name of Christianity consists of people mindlessly going through the motions of various forms of religion, devotion and piety. But acts of devotion, pious ceremonies and forms of true religion result in anything but good, when the participant’s mind is somewhere else. In principle, the Scripture repeatedly warns...

When Bad Things Happen

God has obviously not promised us an exemption from the bad things that happen to people in this world. As Christians we are saved from the coming wrath of God, but for now in God’s providence we are variously exposed to the painful and tragic events that plague mankind. This, of course, was God’s promise in...

ATAPAT

There is a bizarre little acronym starting to catch on at our church and with our listeners. And for that I am glad. It is, if you haven’t heard, my abbreviated and colloquial way of referring to what Jesus was getting at when he addressed his would-be disciples. It is my attempt of...

Smallness

While the world works desperately to bolster our sense of personal significance and individual importance, biblical truth drives us in the opposite direction. A hallmark of biblical humility is the realization that we are infinitesimally small, juxtaposed with a growing

Joy

While it is true that sorrow may teach us more than happiness (Ecclesiastes 7:2), joy and gladness are certainly more appropriate in the hearts and attitudes of those who know and love God. The psalmist exclaimed, “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for...

Weakness

As sinful and fallen people we hate the feeling of weakness. On the other hand, we love feelings of strength, dominance, control, power and independence. But the reality is, that as creatures of the One who “gives all men life, breath and everything else” (Acts 17:25) all of our perceived...

Old Testament Law

Reading through all the laws of the Old Testament can be confusing. When you do, it is important to remember that when God's people left Egypt they left the legal system of the Egyptians and the jurisdiction of any

Godly Ambition

The problem with worldly ambition is that it is misdirected. God is great; we are sinful. God is infinite; we are finite. God is the only sovereign authority that is; we are impotent – so impotent that we are not able to...

Relating Skillfully

The book of Proverbs sets before us several thought provoking and inspired truths that can and should have a significant impact on how we “wisely” relate to one another. Take for instance the curious and seemingly obvious...

Acquiring Wisdom

Some think that learning about God should be easy. But the Bible warns us that real wisdom and insight will require a great deal of effort on our part. While some prefer to call their innate impressions and their subjective feelings...

Don’t Grow Weary

In a world that rarely rewards truly good behavior, it is not a surprise that God’s people would be tempted to grow weary in doing what is right. But don’t. The Bible calls us to constantly renew our perspective and our strength, remembering that doing the right thing...

Life’s Opposition

Many Christians assume that if God really loves us, he will fill our lives with good feelings, satisfied desires and things that make us happy. That may be a common assumption, but it certainly isn’t what God told us he’d do. The Bible is clear that for now...

The Right Thing

Obedience to Christ often comes down to whose reputation you care about the most. When God calls us to stand up for what is right, speak up for what is important, or be counted with his children the price will usually be debited from our reputation. On the other hand...

Reliance on God

King Asa was a righteous leader of God’s people. This ancestor of Christ and third king of the divided kingdom was a devout reformer who abolished the worship of foreign gods, put an end to cultic prostitution, and even dethroned his family members who disdained obedience to Yahweh. The Bible says God brought...

Loving God

When the call of God on our lives and the message for us in Scripture is distilled into one line it reads like this: “Love God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength.” This was the central command of Old Testament Judaism (Dt.6:5) and it was the primary imperative...

Isolation

There is too much spiritual danger inherent in Christians choosing to be isolated. The New Testament model shows us Christians who are interested and involved in each other’s lives. Paul shared his joys and victories, as well as his hurts and struggles...

Light

Jesus said that people prefer darkness rather than light because people don’t want their sinful deeds exposed (Jn.3:19-20). Of course this is an analogy. Your willingness to sit in the sun or your desire to dim the lights in the family room has nothing to do with...

Contentment

Recently, after seeing a “Christian” book entitled How to Get Everything You Want, I was reminded of God’s call to contentment. The Apostle testified to living out God’s expectation for his creatures. He wrote, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances...

All Knowing God

Our God is a God who knows and perceives all things. He intimately knows all things past, all things present and all things future. He is a God for whom nothing is concealed. With him there are no secrets, there is no darkness and nothing is shrouded from his total awareness and full comprehension. God would