Friction occurs when the desires of my heart and my external reality are at odds with one another. In order to resolve the friction, we are prone to believe the best way to do this is to change our external reality. Think back to the temptation of Jesus in Luke 4. He’s fasted for forty…
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As a Christian, I have more in common with brothers and sisters in Christ in other countries than I do with non-believing citizens of the U.S. If you’ve never traveled internationally and spent time with believers in other countries, this may be difficult to grasp. If you have been blessed to experience this, then you…
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“I believe in God.” These are four simple words that seemingly say much. When we hear someone make a statement like this, we might even conclude that person is a Christian. But if there’s one thing the Bible teaches about human beings it’s this: our true nature is often more complicated than the words we…
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The Bible was originally written in Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. So how did we get one in English? Answer: translation committees. The below video illustrates the labor of love involved in translating the Bible from the original languages. Keep in mind, this video is only a snapshot of the discussion surrounding just one word!
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“Do not fear” is the most frequent command in Scripture. But if fear is the most common emotional struggle Scripture discusses, anger is the most dangerous. Why? Behind anger is tremendous emotional energy. In my own life and in ministry, I have witnessed and experienced the ferocity of anger’s destructiveness. It has the potential to…
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Biblical Christianity is the one true religion. Some may react negatively to that statement, so let’s all think together about a few objections to it and what might be said in response. “All religions are equally valid and basically teach the same thing.” Are we really willing to agree religions requiring child sacrifice are equally valid to…
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The book of Proverbs has a number of descriptions for a fool: mockers, simple, obstinate, troublemakers, and sluggards. What’s interesting about poetry, especially wisdom literature conveyed through poetry, is that the text paints a picture of its opposite simultaneously to the picture it paints by itself. So in Proverbs 6 we read, “Go to the…
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Satan operates under a premise: you will be loyal to God only if He blesses you. Read it… “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are…
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After Adam and Eve ate from the one tree God told them not to eat from, the first emotion the text tells us they felt was “fear.” Increasingly, I’m becoming more convinced “fear” is the chief experiential problem with humanity. Even the most boisterous bravado is merely a cover-up for it. Fear drives every other…
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I think about retirement every now and then. I think about being able to attend church each Sunday with my wife and what that will be like. I also think about what I would do in order to be a great church member. Being a pastor provides me a unique perspective on this. So here…
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