Raising kids has reminded me that we don’t always know what’s best for ourselves, even as adults. This seems simple, but this is really is the issue at the heart of the brokenness of humanity. This is ultimately what has gone wrong. This very point...
Freedom is a theme that runs through Christianity. But what is freedom for the Christian? The strongest teaching of freedom that we find in the Bible is freedom from the shame and guilt of sin. Christianity espouses that every human being is born in...
From N.T. Wright But how can the living God become a human being? How does it make sense? It makes sense precisely in terms of the creation story which John evokes with the very first words of his gospel. The climax of the creation in Genesis was...
The beatitudes in the Sermon on the Mount have always intrigued me. For one, when I first read them they seem so simple, but the more I reflect on them at a greater depth, more complex contours begin to appear. Blessed are the poor in spirit Why...
In Matthew 7, “Jesus moves from personal temptations to interpersonal temptations” (ESV Study Bible Notes). This means that our relationship with others is on par with our relationship with the Father in terms of importance. Ultimately...
I love the story of when Jesus heals the paralytic in Mark 2:1–12. In this story, Jesus’ popularity has grown to the point where there are so many people coming to see him that the paralytic and his friends cannot get to him. The crowds are...
From My Utmost for His Highest; July 30 (Oswald Chambers, emphasis original) Jesus did not commit Himself unto them … for He knew what was in man. John 2:24–25 Disillusionment means that there are no more false judgments in life. To be undeceived by...
Another excellent biblical example of worship we find in Matthew 28:9. It reads: And behold, Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. We know that God alone deserves to...
In times of difficulty, confusion, trial, or darkness the best thing to do, without fail, is focus on Jesus. I cannot count the number of times that I’ve said that salvation and Christianity are all about a personal relationship with Jesus. More...
It is crucial that the church of Jesus remember its precise mission and calling when facing challenges of epic proportions. It is tempting, especially in times like these, for the church to react out of human impulse rather than respond with the...