Over this past week I’ve been meditating on and dealing a lot with the implications of Romans 12:2: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. I wanted…
Category: Christian Living
Ridiculously Blessed
I am continuing a series on the Lord’s Prayer called “GodTalk.” It’s been interesting to slow down and really look at what Jesus was telling us to do in that short prayer. Yesterday, we looked at the phrase, “Give us this day our daily bread.” We’ll take that in two parts with the topic yesterday focusing on both the source of our provision and what we are to do with it once we have it. [Read more]
On The Election
For the last two weeks at church, we’ve been discussing both the will of God and the Kingdom of God. This week we have a new president. Some are happy about that while others, well, not so much. The question I want to ask is, “Did the will of God occur?” I think the way you answer that will affect what your attitude will be in light of the results. There are basically two possibilities: [read more]
Extreme Grace, Part 1
Twice Peter said the they had denied Jesus. Helloooo, excuse me, Pete, but do you not remember where you were at about the time these little people were denying Him?? Peter had run away like a scared little girl from, oh, yeah, a little girl who had accused him of being a follower of Jesus. Three times! It’s like he totally forgot what he had done. How does that happen? What right does Peter have to be accusing others of denying?
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My Politics
For too long, in my opinion, Christians, in general, have aligned themselves with a particular party. Now, the trend seems to be going the other way. The reasons cited usually have something to do with one or two particular issues. On the left, it seems mostly environmental and justice issues. On the right, abortion and traditional marriage. On both sides, the economy is a big deal and, of course, the war.
My contention is that none of those are exclusively (or primarily) political issues. They are just issues and, principly if not explicitly, the Bible speaks to all of them. [Read Full Post]
The Powerless Prayer
I’m in a new series on prayer as we look at what has been traditionally called “The Lord’s Prayer” or “The Model Prayer.” When we start looking at what Christ said prayer is and isn’t, we quickly realize that much of what we do really isn’t prayer at all…at least not the kind that Jesus said is acceptable to the Father.
The Power of Worship
An interesting thing happened to me as a result of this spontaneous worship I experienced aboard ship: I was “sucked into” the very presence of God and put into a place where I was able to experience some things over the next few days I don’t think I would have been prepared for otherwise.
God took me on a journey for the next several days aboard ship and during our ports of call, where I was exposed to some of the most horrible injustices and poverty I’ve ever seen.
The Master of Our Circumstances
Ever wonder why you are in your current situation, whatever it is? May be good…may be bad. Hard or difficult. Ever ask, “Why me?” as you think about your lot in life? I think it’s a common question we ask when things go wrong. “Why me, Lord? What did I do to deserve this?” Sometimes answers for that question are hard to come by. Simple answer, I guess, is “Why not?”
What Will I Do With My Inheritance?
Every moment of every day should be an experience of worship because we are ever mindful of the shear grace of a loving God to hold onto us, though He receives nothing (as He needs nothing – see Acts 17:24-25) in return. As Steven Curtis Chapman said in a recent song: “This is a moment made for worshiping, cause this is a moment I’m alive.” What a great statement. All of life, for a Christ-follower, is a worship experience because “he gives to all life and breath and everything.”
The Great Misconception of Christianity
If Christianity truly is about relationship…real relationship with Christ based on faith, then there must be troubles that push us into Him; there must be times of trial so that we know that we can trust Him and know that our faith is real. Unless we break the cycle of religion based on litmus tests and rules of conduct and get back to Scripture that reveals the Truth about real life with real problems, we’ll simply end up with more guilt-laden religious people, carrying the burden of their sins and reflecting none of the glory of Christ’s righteousness which leaves them complete in God’s eyes and finding that Christ is enough for their lives.
Faith in America: The Great Life Preserver (use only in case of emergency)
I am struck by the flippancy with which most of us follow Christ. To most of us, “Christianity” is just something that we are; a part of our lives. To these men, Jesus was their life…all of it, totally sold out and recklessly abandoned. How many of us today still call on Him in the tough times and then move on with our lives, barely giving Him a second thought when things are good? Then we don’t understand why the blessings don’t last.
Is the Devil in the Details?
I think the answer to that question is a resounding “yes!” The Devil is in the details because that is usually where we find that the failure comes. Personally, I am often careful to make sure I am generally healthy physically, spiritually, emotionally, etc., but it is usually in the small areas that I find…
Is following Oprah one of the millions of ways to God?
I figure it must be since, according to her, there are now “millions of ways to get to heaven”. OK, we’ve known that Oprah has been out in left field, spiritually, but according to a recent report, she has (I believe for the first time) effectively denied Jesus verbally: According to Christian Newswire, Oprah Winfrey…
One Life
What difference can one life really make? When we think of people like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, or others who have been in extraordinary positions, wielding extraordinary power, perhaps we say one life can make a tremendous difference. It’s another thing, though, when we talk about us ordinary folk with limited resources and limited opportunities…
M.I.A.: The Strong, Silent Type
I have been reflecting on Charles Spurgeon’s devotion for this morning which referenced Matthew 27:11-14. That’s the section that tells of Jesus before the governor, being asked as to whether or not He was the “King of the Jews.” Jesus only response was, “You have said so.” It then follows that Jesus would give no…